Rule change bid to get rethink on bins
Tories want huge petition considered
Opposition councillors have launched a bid to change rules so that a 5400-signature petition against controversial changes to bin collections can be heard.
The eight Tory councillors have formally submitted notice that a special meeting of the council should be called to seek a change to the rules which mean that currently, the Change.org petition does not have to be considered.
They are pushing for an amendment to the official ‘Scheme of Delegation’ calling for petitions to be accepted which are related to decisions of council made within the previous six months. They also want to see any petition with more than 1000 signatures considered by members.
They say the changes would then make it possible for the petition seeking a rethink on the decision taken on June 30 to cut grey and blue bin collections to monthly and impose new charges for garden waste collections to be heard.
The petition has gathered more than 5400 signatures since being created on the same day the controversial service overhaul was voted in, with more names added daily.
If the Tory members’ request for a special meeting is deemed valid, the council has 14 days to arrange one under current rules.
The decision to cut grey general waste and blue bin collections to once a month and impose a £35 charge to collect garden waste was passed by 12 votes to 10.
SNP and Labour councillors pushed through the changes, due to start next year, while the Tories and the Green and independent councillors voted against them.
Tory group leader Councillor Neil Benny said: “There has been an unprecedented reaction to these changes and it is essential the voices of the people of Stirling are heard.
“The SNP and Labour councillors responsible should have had the good grace to call this meeting. They have not and seem determined to ignore the growing anger over what they did. These cuts and charges need to be stopped and the people of Stirling must be properly consulted on such a vital service.”
Fellow Tory councillor Martin Earl added: “We wanted to ensure there was no petty bureaucratic reason that SNP or Labour councillors could find to avoid holding this meeting. We had to be very careful about what we asked for and why. If they have to be forced to address the huge concerns so many people have expressed over their decision then so be it.”
The administration, however, took aim at the Tories, accusing them of playing politics in a bid to overturn “a democratically taken decision”.
Council leader SNP councillor Scott Farmer said: “This is hugely embarrassing for the Tories as the petition rules that Councillor Benny is now demanding be ‘urgently’ changed were not only voted into place by him in late 2015 but he actually proposed these changes at the meeting.”
He added: “Suffice to say we won’t be entertaining this latest attempt to distract public attention from their complete failure to propose any alternatives.
“The Tories know full well that playing procedural games will not succeed in overturning a democratically taken decision that’s only just been made.”
Depute council leader Labour councillor Danny Gibson added: “Yet again we have the unfortunate spectacle of the Tories trying to lead the public up the garden path.
“Councillor Benny will no doubt pretend this is about the process for the public but anyone will be able to see this political grandstanding for what it is.
“The council is already considering receiving electronic petitions which he should know as he sits on the group examining it.
“We will, however, be reaffirming the council’s commitment to the perfectly reasonable timescale procedures put in place by Councillor Benny - even if he now disagrees with himself.”