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Tory MP is talking rubbish about Wolverhampton bin changes, says Pat McFadden

Gavin Williamson has been accused of hypocrisy over Government funding cuts after he waded into the row over changes to bin collections in Wolverhampton.

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The South Staffordshire MP said city council plans to introduce fortnightly bin collections and charges for garden waste were 'ridiculous and short-sighted'.

But his comments have sparked an angry response from Labour's Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden, who questioned why Mr Williamson has failed to lobby Whitehall over continued budget cuts to the city.

Meanwhile the authority's leader, Councillor Roger Lawrence, said the Tory MP should focus on his own constituency rather than interfering in matters affecting Wolverhampton.

  • MORE: Weekly Wolverhampton bin collections 'to go by end of the year'

  • MORE: 'What do we pay tax for?' Fortnightly bin collections in Wolverhampton opposed by 84 per cent

Government Chief Whip Mr Williamson has argued that changes to waste disposal services in the city will lead to an increase in fly-tipping in the surrounding areas.

Mr McFadden said: "Councillors in Wolverhampton and around the country are being forced to take a number of decisions they would rather not take.

"The simple reason is that the Government is cutting budgets for cities like Wolverhampton year on year. Inevitably this hits local services.

"If Mr Williamson is unhappy with the effect of Government cuts in Wolverhampton he had ample time to lobby the Chancellor to give help to our city before this week's budget.

"That would be better than cutting Wolverhampton's resources even further and forcing more service cuts in future years."

Mr Lawrence said: "I didn't hear Mr Williamson voicing his opinion when the Government took away £2.5 million grant for bin collections.

"As far as I'm aware he did not lobby against the Government taking away funding for food waste collections either.

"If he wants to run Wolverhampton council the best thing he can do is move to the city and stand for election here, rather than interfering with these outrageous criticisms."

Wolverhampton council's plans will see residents able to take a new larger bin once collections move to fortnightly.

An annual charge of £35 will be brought in for the collection of garden waste.

The controversial slop bucket scheme to collect food waste is to be scrapped.

Mr Lawrence has insisted that the changes to bin collections and new charges would ultimately save the authority a total of £2.4 million.

He said that the garden waste service was only used by 35-40 per cent of homes in the city.

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