A key Liberal Democrat value is putting the environment first, so I am delighted to see that among English councils, out of the top 10 councils for recycling household waste, nine of them are led by Liberal Democrats.
From Stockport to East Devon, Lib Dem-led councils are working hard. South Oxfordshire currently has the highest recycling rate in England at just under 62 per cent.
In Wales, Lib Dem-led Powys is one of the top Welsh authorities, recycling just over 68 per cent of all waste and setting a great example.
“Nine of the top 10 councils in England for recycling household waste are Lib Dem”
I respect and welcome the fact that councils and councillors of all political shades take this seriously, but it is good to see my party working hard on this issue and getting results.
Part of this is making sure people get the right information about how important it is, working with communities to increase awareness.
As Cllr Sarah Nelmes, our Leader on Three Rivers District Council, which has the second highest rate, says: “We facilitate waste collections by making it as easy as we can to recycle, but we are grateful for how much our residents support us.”
Decades ago, Liberal, then Liberal Democrat councillors, would often get derisory comments for wanting facilities like neighbourhood recycling sites. Now it is second nature for so many households.
We will continue to work cross-party within the LGA to ensure that councils get the support they need on issues such as simplifying packaging, cutting down on waste and making it easier to recycle.