THE newly elected leader of Wirral's Conservatives has called a proposal to bring in three-weekly bin collections "absolute madness".

Cllr Jeff Green, who represents West Kirby and Thurstaston, replaces Cllr Ian Lewis in leading Wirral Council’s Tory group after the Wallasey councillor stood down saying there had been a "breakdown in relations" with colleagues.

Cllr Green, a twice former leader of the council serving between 2010 and 2011 and for a brief period in 2012, is understood to have comfortably defeated fellow Conservative councillor David Burgess-Joyce in a recent vote among the borough’s Tory councillors.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Cllr Green said he wanted as many people as possible to get involved in the council’s budget consultation (https://haveyoursay.wirral.gov.uk/council-budget), which runs until January 22.

Last month, Wirral Council’s policy and resources committee, a body which includes councillors from all parties including Cllr Green, voted by assent to put a range of money saving options out to a public consultation.

The proposals include closing down Birkenhead's Europa Pools swimming baths and raising car parking charges.

But Cllr Green made it clear that he strongly disagreed with one option, which was to collect green general waste bins just once every three weeks.

On the issue of which cuts might have to be made instead, Cllr Green pointed to a number of efficiency savings options which are part of the consultation and noted the vast sums of money the government has given Wirral Council as part of coronavirus support packages.

However, Wirral Council has budget pressures which existed before the pandemic and are not covered by the government, meaning savings must be found.

Cllr Green said he will look at the financial settlement which will become clearer in the coming months before making any firm decisions on which cuts he may support.

The West Kirby and Thurstaston councillor added that his immediate priorities included protecting residents from the threat of coronavirus, supporting businesses and protecting the greenbelt.

Cllr Green also said he wanted to work across political divides to end "tribalism" within the local authority and reduce the council’s carbon footprint.

In a tribute to the Tory group’s former leader Cllr Ian Lewis, Cllr Green said his colleague was an "outstanding leader" and that he tried to get the Wallasey councillor to change his mind in the days after he had made the decision.

In particular, Cllr Green said the former leader should be congratulated for the job he has done supporting the council’s response to the pandemic and in getting the council to move to a committee system, which spreads power more evenly across the council.