War of words has broken out over claims bin collections will be cut in Liverpool to every three week

A video has been circulated by the opposition Liberal Democrat group from an all-councillor briefing on waste collection dating back to January this year.

In the video, Cllr Steve Munby, a former cabinet member and Labour representative for Dingle, appears to suggest it would be “criminal” not to consider some form of three-week waste collection, writes the LDR service.

Opposition leader Cllr Carl Cashman said the comments, which are presented in an 18-second clip with no information as to the nature of the discussion, would put a “strain on the city.”

Currently, all purple waste bins are collected across Liverpool on a two-week basis. The Labour group has now hit back on social media to say there are no plans to change bin services in the city.

In the video, seen by the LDRS, Cllr Munby is seen participating in a training call with Chris Lomas, director of environmental services, alongside a cabinet member and other backbenchers. The LDRS understands it dates back to January 29.

In the clip, an unknown speaker is heard at first. Cllr Munby then asks: “Are you planning to move to three-weekly collections to coincide with this because given the ratio of waste in purple bins it would be criminal not to?

“We could consider four weekly but certainly three weekly.” It is not known if there is any response or what Cllr Munby is asking in relation to.

Cllr Carl Cashman, leader of the Liverpool Liberal Democrats, said: “What’s really ‘criminal’ is a Labour councillor who’s voted for council tax rises again and again, turning around and trying to cut a core council service. Three-week bin collections would mean rubbish left for rats and other pests and immense strain on households in the city – we already have an issue with rubbish, littering and fly-tipping.

“How much worse will it be with people waiting an extra week for their bins to be collected? If Labour introduced three-week bin collections, they would put us on the fast track to ending up like Birmingham.”

In a post on social media, the Labour group hit back. It said: “Last week the Lib Dems couldn’t count how many people were emptying bins in the city.

“This week it’s the latest fake news to try and get some attention. This is just another exercise to try and harvest people’s personal information with a bogus petition.

“There are no plans to change bin collection dates, and they know it. People in Liverpool aren’t listening to the Lib Dems so their claims and campaigns are getting wilder.

“What will it be next week? Labour are banning ducks from our lakes?!” The LDRS contacted Cllr Munby for comment regarding the video.