Council leaders quiz Middlesbrough green waste ‘disaster’ and MDC ‘unholy mess’

Questions about the troubled launch of Middlesbrough’s new green waste collection service were fielded during a full council meeting.

Concern was also raised again about the transfer of council assets to Middlesbrough Development Corporation (MDC), with the suggestion that talks should be held with the new Labor government. The meeting later became heated when a councilor was denied permission to ask additional questions of Mayor Chris Cooke and members of the Executive.

A number of issues were highlighted at Wednesday’s Town Hall meeting, including the council’s recovery plan, children in care and the Government’s local growth plans. Acklam ward Lib Dem councilor Tom Livingstone raised the issue of the new chargeable green waste collection service in a question to Cllr Peter Gavigan, executive member for the environment.

Residents in Middlesbrough reported problems trying to sign up due to clogged phone lines to the contact center and delays in deliveries, while 1,300 orders were not processed due to a “system problem”. Cllr Young said: “I think it’s pretty hard at this stage to describe the rollout of the new bins as anything other than a total disaster.”

He said he understood there were no plans to offer refunds to people whose collections had been missed, adding: “Can you point out to me what other options are being explored to compensate those people who paid for a service they didn’t -they did. received for a few weeks now?” Cllr Gavigan said: “Once the initial issues became clear, the scheme which was due to run until the end of November, was extended to the end of December.”

Cllr Mick Saunders, MICA councilor for Park End and Beckfield, asked what the costs were for the “load” of additional problems in the town. Cllr Gavigan said he did not have the answer but would know by the end of the week.

Moving on to further questions, the issue of the transfer of assets from the council to the MDC came up again. In March 2023, the former Tory government gave the go-ahead for the transfer of millions of pounds worth of assets, including the Crown pub, the Civic Centre, Broadcasting House Enterprise Center and Middlesbrough Bus Station.

Cllr Lewis Young, Labor councilor for the Central Ward, said he attended a town center development briefing this week and was left with more questions than answers about how the MDC works. He said he was not encouraged by “what I think is a pretty unholy mess about who owns the land, who does the planning, who does the development and it’s a bit of a mess really”.

He continued: “So now is not the time for the new Labor Government to ask the new Secretary of State for Local Government to restate this council’s policy of opposition to both the handing over of assets to an opaque company and the effective privatization of the public transport system. planning, also calling for a review of the grass roots of the MDC with a view to bringing planning and development back to this democratically elected chamber?”

Cllr Theo Furness, executive member for regeneration, said he welcomed the investment MDC was bringing “but as a council we are positioned to make that kind of investment with TVCA and private partners”, using Boho X and Tees AMP as examples. “When it comes to investing millions of pounds of public money, I would rather see it done by the council and the elected members of Middlesbrough rather than the MDC,” he said.

He noted that former Secretary of State Michael Gove “rescinded our democratic decision against the formation of the MDC and the transfer of assets”, adding: “The main thing I have problems with the MDC at the moment is the general transfer of assets – it’s just needed. All.

“I would like the Government to take a look at the MDC and how it is structured and I’m sure we will have ongoing conversations between us as a council and the incoming government.”

The Labor government announced in the King’s Speech that it is likely to give more powers to regional leaders, including the mayor of Tees Valley, to work on economic growth plans to benefit local communities. Mayor Cooke said it was important to invest in skills for economic growth and not just in “capital projects and shiny buildings”.

“We need to make sure people are more economically active throughout their lives,” he said. Investment in people needs to be a key focus, he said, “so we don’t just get capital flows coming from central government, we also get some revenue resources.”

Responding to comments made about the MDC, its chairman, Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he would encourage Labor councilors to raise their concerns with Mr Cooke, who he said “voted in favor and supported every decision of the MDC. – including its creation, the transfer of assets and planning powers within the city center being transferred to the MDC.”

Later in the town hall meeting, Mr. Cooke was pressed about senior management’s decision-making and influence. Cllr Luke Mason, Tory ward councilor for Coulby Newham, asked if he ever overstepped the council’s senior management, “or has senior management overstepped every step of the way so far?”

Mr Cooke said: “I think that shows what the problem was. It shouldn’t be about overpowering people, it shouldn’t have to dominate the conversation.

“It should be about partnership, working together and trying to get better solutions.” Cllr Mason was then refused permission to ask another question by the chair of the meeting, Cllr Julia Rostron.

“I want some clarification on why we can’t ask further questions,” he said. Cllr Rostron said he explained that no further questions would be taken at the start of the meeting and the chairman’s decision “is final”.

Cllr Mason said: “My question is: why did you make this decision?” Cllr Rostron said he would have no further discussion about it, to which Cllr Mason replied: “It’s a shame, chair.”

Cllr Rostron replied: “That’s your opinion.” Speaking after the meeting, Beechwood and Longlands councilor Joan McTigue said she planned to make a formal complaint about the decision.