Leader of DUP has weighed in on a controversial new bin policy as a public consultation is launched

The MP for the area has urged residents to make their opinions known to the the council in a Twitter post to his 35k followers on Thursday August 10.

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) has launched a district wide public consultation beginning in Dundonald after facing opposition from a number of charity groups on its multi-million pound plans for a new kerbside collection system.

Sir Jeffrey Tweeted: “It’s important that local people have their say on these proposals.

“Please do drop in and express your views. Any concerns that people have, I am happy to hear from you and will relay these to the Council. Email me at: [email protected].”

The new kerbside collection policy, which was agreed behind closed doors in January at the council HQ at Lagan Valley Island, will see an increased recycling bin size and decrease in the capacity of household waste bins.

In March, LCCC “abandoned” its tender for the new bin contract with a statement issued on the government website ‘Gov.UK’.The move came in the wake of criticism of new bins sizes by charity groups such as Friends of the Earth and AgeNI on environment and equality concerns.

A spokesperson for LCCC has outlined the consultation programme to the Local Democracy Service, saying: “As part of a 12-week equality consultation period on the kerbside collection model, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council is hosting six ‘drop in’ consultation sessions for residents across the area."