WINCHESTER City Council appears to have been "unceremoniously dumped” from the current joint waste contract by East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) in a move which, it is claimed, has left the authority in a potentially “difficult position”.

According to city councillor Martin Todd, EHDC released a public cabinet statement on September 18 revealing that, at its last council meeting on July 31, it had agreed to end the joint waste collection contract it had with Winchester City Council – and this, claims Mr Todd, had been “agreed secretly”.

Mr Todd said: “Despite all the promises, this Conservative party spat leaves Winchester City Council in a difficult position.

“Waste contracts are very complex to negotiate, they’re one of the council’s biggest areas of spending and we’re running out of time.

“I’m particularly concerned about getting doorstep glass recycling for people in Winchester. It’s not in the current contract.

“There’s no deal or contract at all with anyone from October 2019 onwards. It’s a critical Lib Dem priority to make sure that doorstep glass recycling is part of any new contract.

“Using unjustified secrecy to cover up the problem arising from this argument between two Conservative-run councils also really stinks.

“Unless there are genuine questions of privacy or commercial confidentiality, and it’s hard to see how there were in this case, people have the right to know what’s being done in their name by the council with their money as soon as it happens.

“It’s a disgrace that it’s taken so long to become public.” Commenting on the situation, a spokesman for EHDC said the two councils had “enjoyed eight successful years working in partnership with Biffa and ID Verde to provide waste collection and environmental services” over the combined council areas.

The spokesman ontinued: “Both councils have carried out a joint, in-depth review of the current contract to determine how best to move forward after the contract ends in September 2019.

“At the time it was signed the partnership was ground-breaking and saved tax payers more than a million pounds but the outcome of the review revealed that it would be beneficial for both councils to pursue alternative options.

“We will continue to work closely together as councils and with Biffa and ID Verde to maintain the excellent service throughout the remainder of the contract.”

However, EHDC was now “looking to its partnership with Havant Borough Council to deliver waste collection and environmental services, such as street cleaning and ground maintenance, once the current contract has expired.”

The spokesman added: “Work is under way to make sure this option delivers savings and operational efficiencies for both councils – EHDC and Havant.”