An anomaly in Haringey Council’s contract for waste collection with Accord is leading to local residents being double charged for waste collection and despite repeated requests from local Liberal Democrats Haringey Council has failed to act to remedy the situation.

Residents living in managed blocks of flats, for example The Copse on Fortis Green, are charged by the flat owners for waste collection. However, these residents also pay the standard rates of council tax, including the element which pays for waste collection.

Cllr Matt Davies (Lib Dem, Fortis Green) and Cllr Lynne Featherstone (Lib Dem, Muswell Hill) have both formally asked questions in Full Council meetings on this subject and also contacted the Environmental Services Department numerous times to chase them up. So far there has been no noticeable action.

“The current situation is totally unfair and cannot be allowed to continue,” said Cllr Davies. He went on:

“A small number of local residents are effectively paying twice for their waste collection. Additionally, these residents are also missing out on the door-to-door recycling which is now part of the service provided out of Haringey’s council tax pot.

“If the simple fact is shown to be that the Council failed to negotiate the waste contract with Accord properly, then unfortunately they will have to accept the blame and meet the extra costs being imposed on these residents.

“This is the only fair solution. And we must have a conclusion to this now – residents are rightly annoyed that months and months have already passed without the Council doing anything to help.”

Cllr Davies has tabled the following question for answer at the Full Council meeting on February 23rd:

To ask the Lead Member for the Environment if he expects to be refunding those residents in managed blocks of flats who are paying twice for their rubbish collection – through council tax and through direct charges from owners – due to the Council’s apparent inability to negotiate a waste collection contract which covers all council tax-paying Haringey residents?

This time Cllr Davies is hoping that the answer will be more conclusive than previous answers to questions on this subject – for example in July 2003:

“The issue is currently a matter of discussion between the Council and Haringey Accord. The Waste Management Service in conjunction with Cllr Dodds will keep Councillors informed on the outcome of the discussion.”