'Ditch our four-weekly bin days and cut more non-essential services'

AN Old Colwyn councillor called on Conwy Council to cut non-essential services and move back to a two-weekly bin collection service.

- By RICHARD EVANS Local Democracy Reporter

Speaking at Monday's finance and resources overview and scrutiny committee, back-bencher Cllr David Carr told council leader Cllr Charlie McCoubrey that residents were fed up of not having their bins and recycling collected.

According to Cllr Carr, residents want to see refuse collected more often and labelled four-weekly collections, which were introduced in Conwy in September 2018, as "an experiment"

Cllr Carr also claimed the council was making excuses over not cutting "non-essential services".

Much of his criticism went unheard by those not in the building, due to the microphones at the new Coed Pella chamber not working - despite £700K of investment in the new HQ.

The council meeting was the first to take place at Coed Pella after Conwy moved its HQ and chamber from Bodlondeb.

Cllr Carr, though, was criticised by the council's leader, who claimed the Old Colwyn councillor continually levelled criticism at the council without providing solutions.

Cllr Carr said: "We do need to look at the non-essential spending in this council, and I've mentioned this so many times before."

He added: "We are cutting services in ERF [environment department] when people are having problems with refuse collections, and I can say to Charlie [leader Cllr Charlie McCoubrey] in Old Colwyn that the four-weekly collections are not working.

"This is great that we have the recycling rates that we get, but the downside is that there is rubbish.