Councillros are not being presented with a genuine choice over the future of rubbish collection, an opposition member has claimed.
Liberal Democrat Fraser Macpherson said that none of the three options outlined in a report to Monday’s environment committee included maintaining a weekly collection for general waste.
“It’s the oldest trick in the book to present different options that are largely really just the same and pretend that there is a real choice of options being offered,” he said.
“The SNP administration has allowed this report to come forward, so we have to assume from this that they want to and intend to abolish weekly general refuse bin collections in Dundee.”
With half the homes in the city being flats, he predicted there would be storage difficulties for residents if they were expected to keep rubbish for a fortnight.
“Feedback from constituents to the council’s proposals is wholly negative and no wonder given the obvious disadvantages of getting rid of weekly general refuse bin collections.”
The council report notes that all but five of Scotland’s 32 local authorities have already switched to fortnightly collections, including all of the top 10 when judged by the proportion of waste they recycle.
Although there are three options being presented to councillors, environment director Ken Laing is asking them to back one.
The preferred option is for weekly collection of food waste and fortnightly collection of residual waste and paper, plastic and metals, along with pick-ups every four weeks for glass and either fortnightly or every four weeks for garden waste, depending on the season.
Mr Laing’s report explains a review was carried out to determine how to provide rubbish collection and recycling for flats.
The three main options are kerbside collections from communal, on-street eurobins; kerbside collections from communal or individual wheelie bins in storage areas or rear yards; and bring-to sites where recyclable materials can be dropped off.
Mr Laing said: “It is recognised that influencing behavioural change will be an essential element in determining the success of the proposed changes to waste and recyclate collections in Dundee.”