New 'Van Ban' Policy Is Still Unfair and Discriminatory

1.47.00pm GMT Sun 16th Nov 2008

Cllr John Whitehouse

Liberal Democrat county councillor John Whitehouse (Kenilworth Abbey) has criticised as "still unfair and discriminatory" a proposed new policy at Warwickshire County Council's (WCC's) household waste recycling centres. The new policy will permit a minor relaxation of the current rules to allow drivers of twin cab 4x4 pick-up vehicles to use the centres in future, but only if it is a household's only vehicle.

The review of the current 'Van Ban' policy, introduced in 1998, came about following questions at Full Council meetings by Cllr. Whitehouse and also by Lib Dem group leader Cllr. Jerry Roodhouse (Rugby, Eastlands & Hillmorton).

John said:

"Nobody is questioning the continuation of an overall Van Ban policy, which probably saves the county council over £1 million a year in landfill charges, but it does need to move with the times and to be applied fairly and logically. Twin cab 4x4 vehicles hardly existed 10 years ago when the policy first came in, but now they are used fairly widely by households for domestic and recreational purposes.

"Why is a householder with a second car a greater threat to WCC's waste tonnages than one without? It doesn't make sense. The new policy is little better than the old one, and remains unfair and discriminatory."

John failed to get the support of any Conservative or Labour councillors on this issue at an Environment Overview & Scrutiny meeting on Thursday, but has now written to the Conservative cabinet member asking him to think again before the draft policy is given final approval.

John said: "I don't hold out much hope of a change of heart for now at least, but I shall continue to campaign on this issue on behalf of the local residents who have raised it with me."