6:47am Thursday 9th August 2007
By Simon Barrett
Thousands of householders could be "blackmailed" with pre-emptive £100 fines to force them into going green.
Town hall bosses want to slap the charge onto annual council tax bills - but will refund the cash if residents hit recycling and composting targets.
Councillors believe the move would cut landfill and encourage green thinking, but critics said the "fine 'em first - ask questions later" scheme is no better than blackmail.
A pilot scheme is being considered in Seaford, but will watched closely by other local councils and could eventually be rolled out across Sussex.
Household waste recycling rates are currently at 31 per cent in West Sussex and 29 per cent in East Sussex.
The Government has set local councils a target of recycling 35 per cent of household waste by 2015 and 40 per cent by 2020.
Recycling facilities are already accessible in Seaford, including the recycling centre on the Cradle Hill industrial estate.
But councillors hope such a scheme would boost the amount of people using recycling centres throughout the area, and help local authorities hit the Government's green targets.
The idea is drafted in a report written by Eddie Collict, the deputy leader of Seaford Town Council, in response to the Government's Waste Strategy for England.
It reads: "For most local people it is clear they would rather have a re-use, recycle and composting scheme than an incinerator.
"It follows therefore that any scheme which encourages and improves recycling is to be welcomed, particularly one that gives incentives rather than penalties."
The report goes on to recommend the council suggests a "simplified scheme which allows authorities to add say £100 per household to the annual council tax, but to return this sum provided the household took part in the authority's recycling and composting schemes."
But the idea has been shot down by critics who argue the move would be so unpopular it could lead to rioting in the streets.
Blair Gibbs, the campaign director for the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "This is absolutely outrageous. It is another desperate attempt to raise extra revenue under the guise of caring about green issues.
"If town halls really did care about the environment they would offer real financial incentives, say £10 or £20 off a monthly council tax bill. You cannot fine people first and refund them later.
"Families have never paid so much council tax and now they want to chuck on another £100 to blackmail people into recycling. It beggars belief."
Gail Elliston, the chairwoman of the Seaford Residents' Association, said the scheme would go down "like a lead balloon".
She added: "We do need to see more recycling and no one would dispute that, but this would be extremely unpopular. It should be positive action, not negative action like this.
"It seems to me it has nothing to do with recycling and everything to do with raising money. I can imagine a riot in Seaford if this went through."
Lewes MP Norman Baker said: "I think it is right that people should be offered a financial incentive to recycle. However I would much prefer a scheme in which households qualify for a reduction in their council tax. It should be carrot, not stick."
The Argus revealed yesterday that Seaford Town Council was considering allowing the sinking of Navy warships off the coast to create giant artificial reefs for divers.
Businessman Anthony Fowler has unveiled plans to sink retired Royal Navy vessels in Seaford Bay to develop an underwater tourist attraction.
He handed a 60-page dossier on his scheme to the council to ask them to evaluate the merits and possible funding of the proposals, which are similar to those already in place off the Devon coast.
Both issues are set to be discussed at a town council meeting tonight.
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