THE leader of Wirral Tory group has fired a scornful broadside at a new policy launched to "empower residents" over recycling rubbish.

The Labour administration says it wants to form a "new relationship" with householders and will be conducting face-to-face "waste audit" discussions in people's homes.

Conservative leader Cllr Ian Lewis said: “This is the kind of management speak and waffle that wouldn’t be out of place in an episode of The Office with David Brent.

"I’ve yet to meet a single resident who feels they are not ‘empowered’ to have their rubbish collected.

"However there are plenty of residents who do not want the extra bin for food waste imposed on them or who object to paying £40 for garden waste to be collected.

“The council’s ‘relationship with residents’ is really very simple, even for this cabinet: people pay their council tax, the council empties their bins.”

The "new relationship" idea has been introduced by councillor Phillip Brightmore, cabinet member for environment.

He said: “The updated policy will reflect our new relationship with residents, with the emphasis on providing people with clearer information to help them make an informed personal choice about what to do with their waste in order to best protect and maintain the local environment.

“This is about helping residents get the best out of the provision we all pay for.

"It's time we made our refuse collection service smarter, more efficient and easier to use.

"People tell me they want to recycle, but do not feel empowered to do, with confusion over what can and cannot go in their grey bin. I want to address that.”

More use will be made of "waste audits" – face-to-face discussions with residents in their homes – to assess whether their requirements are being met. 

From early next year the council will be also be experimenting with other ways to communicate directly with tax payers - "including text prompts reminding residents to put their bins out the evening before regular, fortnightly collections."

Councillor Brightmore added ‘’We are determined to make getting hold of information about refuse collection service as easy as possible and we are happy to provide the support residents require to make the service accessible.

“Our amended plan covers every aspect of the domestic waste collection service, it is not just about what goes in what bin and what day they will be collected."

Liberal Democrat Cllr Stuart Kelly said: "I am still trying to find out what they still plan to reduce the size of the green wheelie bin; this new policy clarifies nothing.

"All this messing about is only serving to complicate what should be a simple matter of collecting the right bin on the right day.

"If there is any confusion at all it is being caused by Wirral Council and the waste disposal authority

"They need to get a grip of the disposal authority who continue to add to the confusion by refusing to take for recycling items with the recyclable symbol on such as small plastic pots.

"Cheshire manages to recycle all its plastic - why can’t we?"