Lib-Dems say "Keep our Dog Waste Bins!" (Windsor Liberal Democrats)

Windsor Liberal Democrats <info@windsorlibdems.org.uk>

Lib-Dems say "Keep our Dog Waste Bins!"

April 17, 2009 12:00 PM
Originally published by Wokingham Liberal Democrats

Lib Dems in Windsor & Maidenhead are asking the Conservative Council to promise they have no plans to remove the borough's dog waste bins. At council on 21st April, Lib Dem Councillor Bruce Adams will ask the Conservatives to confirm that dog bins in the Royal Borough will not be removed.

The Lib Dem question was prompted by the actions of Conservative controlled Wokingham Borough Council, which removed all the dog waste bins in the borough without any warning. Dog waste is no longer classified as hazardous and Wokingham council says that it can be placed in normal litter bins.

Wokingham Lib Dem Councillor Phil Challis (councillor for Loddon ward) said of the Conservative action, "This is a terrible idea and the council has made a right dog's dinner of this. The bins were removed without any warning, and with no explanation to the public that normal litter bins could be used for dog waste. In many cases, no alternative bins were even provided."

Following a public uproar, signs have been placed where the dog bins have been removed advising people to use normal litter bins, and the council has promised to provide more bins.

Phil Challis said, "It is sheer incompetence on the part of the Tory executive that resulted in such a shambles." He added, "Dog poo littering our communities is horrible, and the council needs to do everything in its power to make it easy for dog owners to take responsibility for cleaning up after their pets. Removing all the dog bins could result in a huge increase in dog fouling.

"The public don't want dog mess in their parks and on pavements. Many residents have told me that they are very unhappy that dog poo can be put in normal litter bins. These bins don't have lids or liners, and people are worried about the smell, the lack of hygiene and the risk of catching toxacariasis. I call on the Tory executive to re-instate the dog bins immediately, especially as the public have made it very clear they want the bins brought back."