Going out with Rachelle Shepherd-DuBey talking to people in Winnersh over the past few weeks I have amassed a huge number of varied queries.  That’s usual for a councillor – as is being stopped in Sainsburys, bumping into people in the street who’ve got questions, and large numbers of phone calls and emails.   But this year is different in one respect:  whatever else they want to raise, just about everybody wants to talk about bins.

The Lib Dems have been doing a survey around various parts of the borough, including Winnersh, asking people for their views on waste and recycling and the new arrangements.  We have also been checking people have blue bags – the right blue bags, too –  and recycling boxes and know when their bin day now is.   

We have had hundreds of replies.  It isn’t just the details of the scheme that have got people worked up either, it’s the shambolic way it has been introduced.   Wrong bags and no bags are just the tip of the iceberg.    The high cost of the garden waste service has wound up a large number of residents.   As many of them have said to us, the Conservatives have advertised a Council Tax freeze – but they are now charging for something that was previously free.  So it isn’t really a freeze at all. 

There is also the fact that the council has been so inundated with calls about the bins that it is very difficult to get through, even for people who want to talk about something other than bins.  That is very frustrating for all involved.

At this point I really need to say something about the council staff at Wokingham Direct.  They have been under siege for the past few weeks, and they have managed to remain calm and keep going.  It has been tough for them as well as for residents.  They have done a good job in difficult circumstances.  

At some point when things have settled down I will write about how the Lib Dems would have gone about setting up waste collection.  I’ll give you a clue:  not like this.  But at the moment I am just a bit busy trying to make sure everyone here a) knows what’s going on and b) has blue bags and recycling boxes.  Every day another few problems come to light and I need to do what I can to help solve them.

But we also have to remember that there are other things going on, not least the roadworks that are about to start at the crossroads on Reading Road.  We have 6-8 weeks of new high-voltage cable being installed.   There are bound to be delays – forewarned is hopefully forearmed.

Rachelle and I will carry on with our surveys and doorknocking.  Despite the Conservative candidate rather bizarrely tweeting that our “petition” about the bins will backfire on the community.  Not sure what he means by that. 

The Lib Dems are always happy to hear from residents – via this site or our contact details, which are on our leaflets and well-advertised.  We believe in listening to you and consulting.   And standing up for you when you feel the council is ignoring you.   And  – in the time-honoured phrase – Lib Dems work for you all the year round.  We don’t just appear at election time.

But because it is election time, I will declare this once that this blog is published and promoted by Prue Bray on behalf of Rachelle Shepherd DuBey and the Liberal Democrats at 45 Bluebell Meadow, Winnersh, Wokingham, Berks. RG41 5UW and hosted (printed) by VCommunications on behalf of the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors, The Birchcliffe Centre, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 8DG,  which information appears on the bottom of the homepage just to ensure we meet the requirements of election law.

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