Christmas Tree Chaos - So Much for "Let's Talk!"

I was surprised to learn from a Reading Borough Council officer this week that the service of collection points across the town has been axed by the Labour Administration.  No press release was issued and there is no obvious notice on the Council's website or at the former collection points.

Mapledurham Pavilion's car park Monday afternoon

Apparently this year the Council advises that residents should cut up their Christmas tree and put the pieces in their green waste bin or alternatively take it to the Civic Amenity at Smallmead: But residents are clearly as unaware of this change of policy as I was.  Hundreds of Christmas trees have been taken to former collection points by residents to be recycled as in previous years.

I went to Mapledurham Pavilion's car park yesterday afternoon and saw three massive piles of discarded Christmas trees.  I understand from colleagues that the same is true at Clayfield Copse and the other former collection sites.  This wasn't a great surprise given that households were taking down their decorations by the 6th January.

Palmer Park's car park Monday afternoon

The Labour administration has once again completely failed to communicate the change of policy and now any financial saving they had budgeted for will disappear due to the unplanned for cost of clearing up their mess. 

Is it any wonder the public's ongoing scepticism of Reading Labour's "Let's Talk" programme? 

Conservative Leader Cllr Tim Harris said, "Once again Labour has failed to communicate effectively with residents.  At a time when the Coalition nationally is cleaning up Labour's mess, they are wasting public money locally and letting residents down."