Libdems issue New Year message to Conservative Administration at County Council

4.20.21pm GMT Thu 3rd Jan 2008

"Make a New Year resolution to turn over a new leaf on the environment"

Liberal Democrats on Suffolk County Council today called on the Conservative Administration to turn over a new leaf on the environment after a series of disclosures have cast serious doubt on their environmental credibility and claims that they wish to create 'the Greenest County'.

Exposed:

· Secrecy over incinerator business case and location

· Waste recycling targets pushed back by 5 years

· NO energy reduction targets at the County Council

· 19 million business miles travelled by the County Council

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats have shown how the Conservatives are still being very secretive about their highly controversial incinerator and where it will be sited. Liberal Democrats have asked for a copy of the business case, with financial details blacked out if necessary, to be assured that concerns raised in Norfolk over health effects of incinerators have been considered.

The Conservative administration's decision to push back targets for a 60% recycling rate for Suffolk because they were felt to be 'too ambitious' has also been exposed. The target was previously 2010 and has now been pushed back to 2015.

Liberal Democrats have also revealed how the Conservative administration, supposedly trying to create the 'Greenest County' has no energy reduction targets for the County Council. Currently the Council spends around £2.4 million on energy for council buildings per year. Liberal Democrats have proposed a 5% per year reduction, with the money saved being invested in schemes to further increase energy efficiency.

Research by the Liberal Democrats has shown staggering business mileage figures for the Conservative-run County Council. In 2006/2007 the Council racked up over 19 million miles - at a cost of nearly £6 million - enough miles to go to the moon and back 40 times! The amount spent on business mileage is nearly £2 million more than the annual bus subsidy budget, a budget which the Conservatives are proposing to cut by 25% next year.

Speaking about these issues, Cllr Kathy Pollard, Group Leader of the Liberal Democrats on the County Council, said, "I think these revelations, the lack of energy reduction targets, the failure on recycling rates, the staggering business mileage and the continued secrecy over incinerators, have exposed the Conservatives' commitment to creating the 'Greenest County' as the sham it is.

When they brought out proposals to create the Greenest County we warned them that it would take real commitment and not just warm words. Sadly, it seems they have failed to heed that warning. I call on the Cabinet, and the Conservative group as a whole, to make a New Year resolution to start taking the environment seriously in 2008."

Deputy Leader, Cllr Andrew Cann, added, "The Conservatives seem to be very shy to let us know what exactly is in that business case for their incinerator, and where the incinerator will be built. I would have thought that the people of Suffolk have a right to know that, at very least, the Administration has assessed things like the environmental damage such a plant would cause, or its possible health effects - something which was discussed publicly and openly in Norfolk.

The Tories pledged to lead on the greenest county. Their record however shows that they tell us what to do whilst doing little themselves. Leading by example means just that. The Tories claim in their literature this is time for action and not more words. Well…we're still waiting."