CONSERVATIVES on Waverley Council have been told "produce your evidence or shut up" over their claims that Lib Dem "incompetence" has meant the borough missing out on a weekly kitchen-waste collection trial. The Herald last week published the Tories' allegation, and the Lib Dems' denial, that as the ruling group the Lib Dems turned down an opportunity helped by Surrey County Council money. But the row looks set to deepen, with Conservative group leader Richard Gates standing by the claims and environment portfolio holder Victor Scriven reiterating the denial. The public were left bemused by a lambasting of the local press over their publication of an "untruthful" story by Lib Dem councillors in Waverley's executive meeting on Tuesday. Mr Scrivens reported that Waverley is now looking into whether it would be possible or viable to join the trial being undertaken by Guildford, Mole Valley and Elmbridge councils with Surrey. But he hotly contested the Tory assertion that Waverley had taken a decision "in secret" not to join in. "We have not discussed this before," he insisted. He said the trial was part of the programme of the whole joint municipal waste strategy which involves all 11 Surrey districts Just because Waverley wasn't involved, it didn't mean they wouldn't benefit from the results, the executive was told. "This issue of kitchen waste is of real concern to a lot of our customers. Whatever solutions are arrived at by whatever group, we do recognise that this is an important issue," said Chris Mansell. Speaking to The Herald on Wednesday, Mr Gates stood by the use of the word "incompetence" saying it was a valuejudgement and said he intends to ask some questions about the matter at the full council meeting on February 20 and in an open letter to Mr Scrivens. The Conservative leader said that his information had been provided by a county council officer in response to a formal question. This indicated that the county's consultants, Eunomia, had floated the idea last summer that it would help Surrey authorities wanting to put in a bid for government funding for kitchen waste schemes. Sixty hours before the deadline, Elmbridge, Guildford and Mole Valley made their joint approach. He said the Conservatives had never accused Waverley of turning down an invitation to join that particular scheme, but they had failed to take up cash that was available. "All Surrey waste-collecting authorities had the opportunity to apply. Waverley chose not to do so," said Mr Gates. "Clearly somebody must have decided not to apply. Perhaps it just happened by default. That isn't very competent!" Mr Scrivens said that neither Waverley councillors nor officers knew of an approach by Eunomia and this was anyway very different from the "secret" meeting previously alleged. "They have claimed something which is not true and they are trying to wriggle." He told the Conservatives: "Provide your evidence or shut up... all this takes away from what the people of Waverley are achieving and doing. We have changed the way people think about waste."
