Edie backs privatising bin pick-ups

A SENIOR Liberal Democrat councillor today defended plans to contract out city services including bin collections and accused critics of hypocrisy.

Health and social care convener Paul Edie hit out ahead of tomorrow’s full council meeting when, he conceded, there was “a distinct probability” the proposal would be rejected.

Writing in the Evening News, he said: “The council’s officers have negotiated a deal with the contractor, Enterprise, which promises much better standards of cleanliness in this city and makes significant financial saving compared to the best we can manage with our current in-house service.

“All political groups at the council in the past have supported contracting out of some services. When political groups on the council claim they oppose ABM on principle there is more than a whiff of hypocrisy.”