Waste charges are defended by council as legality of 'tip tax' is questioned
Council bosses are refusing to back down over controversial waste charges, despite mounting pressure and concerns that the fees may be illegal.
Staffordshire County Council has started charging residents to dispose of certain non-household wastes such as soil, rubble, plasterboard and tyres.
The move has caused outcry with opposition councillors insistent that the county council is breaking the law.
It is argued that the waste the authority are charging for is DIY waste, which counts as household waste and in the Government's own words should 'legally be free of charge' to dispose of.
In light of this Councillor Sue Woodward, the leader of the Labour group in the county, has called for the council to suspend its charges 'effective immediately'.
But the Conservative-run authority is standing its ground, insisting there has been no contact from the Government over the legality of its charges and that it believes they are 'reasonable'.
The storm has been reignited after the Government released its anti-littering strategy this month in which it clearly states that it does not believe councils should be charging for the disposal of DIY waste.
Councillor Woodward said: "Labour has been standing up for local people, campaigning on this issue for some time.
"But in light of this Government statement, Staffordshire County Council has serious questions to answer over the legality of the 'tip tax'.
"Surely the sensible thing to do, effective immediately, is to suspend the charge."
But Darryl Eyers, the authority's economy, infrastructure and skills boss, said: "The authority has not been contacted by Government departments about this matter.Since 2011 increasing numbers of local authorities across the country have been charging for the disposal of non-household waste at household waste recycling centres.
"Furthermore, the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Controlled Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 lay out that waste from building and demolition work, including improvements, alterations and repairs, are not classed as household waste and can be charged for.
"The authority took legal advice before the small charges were introduced and we believe they are legal and reasonable and help us focus our resources where they're needed most.
"We will wait to see the detail of what is being proposed."
