FOLLOWING Cllr John Tanner’s letter (October 19), usually his self-congratulatory missives of Cllr John Tanner are exposed in questions in council. He was forced to admit a few weeks ago that his claim the council had reduced carbon emissions had little to do with his efforts and in reality was simply Labour’s policy of selling off council buildings.

So it has been shown again with the revelation that, since taking control, recycling has hardly increased and stands at only 44 per cent. At this rate, it will take more than 25 years before we have full recycling.

What progress has been made seems to be due to a new sorting facility outside Oxford, run by another authority, and the simple fact that Oxford people are throwing away less.

Cllr Tanner’s latest misleading line is that the Greens are supporting the Lib Dems. While I have been on the council, the Greens have never supported the Lib Dems. They are as undemocratic, pro-cuts and as incompetent as Labour.

We are also told they had to introduce the charges for garden waste collection because of Government cuts – what nonsense! The Greens moved a balanced budget approved by finance that would have seen virtually no cuts (except in senior officers’ pay), the saving of Temple Cowley Pool and the retention of free garden waste collection. Labour voted the Green budget down but it could all be easily afforded.

The council now has massive bloated reserve of over £5.2m, the cuts have reduced services and unnecessary redundancies have ruined lives. Labour is effectively privatising garden waste collection and Cllr Tanner is the prime mover in that ideological quest.

The Greens have been behind virtually every move towards an improved environment in Oxford.

CLLR DAVID WILLIAMS leader, Green Group on Oxford City Council