This from Our West Lancashire (OWL) which have made it their business to get to the bottom of WLBC's blue box PR disaster that's been playing out over recent weeks...

'Here is the latest letter we sent on Saturday to residents who had contacted us.

Dear xxx,

We continue to ask questions relating to this matter and provide the following update:

Yesterday, the council admitted that there is no written record of a decision being made to charge for blue bins in this circumstance. Our West Lancashire is now questioning whether council officers have the necessary authority to act as they are doing.

The council state that there may be upwards of 10,000 households using blue boxes. In the report at February council meeting they said that those homes with design or access issues would be able to continue to use the blue box. When we asked them how many households this entailed, they replied that they had no estimation. Quite how they can implement this policy therefore is anyone’s guess.

The council have already delayed the change until 16 July and so your blue box will definitely continue to be collected until that date. Our advice remains to continue to use your blue box at the present time.

So far as we are aware, of the many residents who have contacted councillors from the ruling Labour group, no resident has yet received a substantive yes/no on whether this charge will be made. All council statements have come from officers or “a council spokesperson”. This decision can be altered by the Labour councillors with a phone call or email to the chief Executive. Please write to Labour councillors you know. Please also, if you are willing share responses from Labour councillors to correspondence you have sent.

Finally, please, please share this email with others you know who have a blue box, so that these facts can become more widely known. Those who have been charged already for a blue bin may wish to ask for a refund. We are aware of some who have done so.

Latest WLBC recycling advice: http://www.westlancs.gov.uk/refuse-r...and-boxes.aspx

This will just drive people to do what used to happen and dump it anywhere! Even when you do the responsible thing and take it too the tip you have to face the inquisition from Mr Jobs Worth! WLBC will end up paying for the tidy up in the end. Poor judgment!