Have your say on county council consultation

Conservatives on the county council are proposing further cuts to our tip opening times, with the hours in summer (April to September) being reduced to 9am to 5pm. The Oadby tip will still be closed on Thursdays and Fridays.

A few years ago the Conservatives cut winter opening times, closed the Oadby tip on Thursday and Fridays and started charging for disposal of “hard-core” waste (soil, rubble and crockery).

In the following years, fly-tipping incidents rocketed by a quarter across the county.

Further cuts will make it even harder for businesses and residents to dispose of their waste properly. Some may fall prey to unscrupulous operators who offer to take rubbish away, only to dump it illegally.

Please have your say in the County Council’s consultation on this plan by 23rd September.

The cuts are due to huge reductions in funds for local services. The Conservative MP here has twice voted in Parliament to make cuts to the money that central government provides to local councils.

Liberal Democrats believe that the busiest tips like Oadby should remain open longer and that Conservative County Councillors are wrong with their plan to cut opening times across the board.

Every year Oadby and Wigston Borough Council compile the electoral register of local residents who can vote.

The forms are now dropping through letter boxes in St. Peter’s. It is easy to confirm your details online by following the instructions on the form (I’ve just done this for our household).

You can also confirm the details by phone or text message or return the form in the post.

Registering to vote is a legal requirement. It also means that you can have your say in local and national elections. Being on the electoral register can also improve your credit rating for everything from mortgages to mobile phone contracts.

Keeping Your Information Private

Access to the full electoral register is strictly controlled, but there is a version, called the ‘open register’, which can be bought for non-electoral activities.

The good news is that you can remove your details from the open register when registering or at any point thereafter by contacting the Electoral Services office at Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

If your anonymity is important, such as for those fleeing domestic abuse, there is an option to register without appearing on either list. Applicants will need certain documentation and again should contact Electoral Services.