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The leader of Denbighshire Council's opposition has slammed the Labour and Plaid Cymru coalition, insisting the independent group are “increasingly frustrated” with cabinet decisions, including the botched rollout of the council’s recycling scheme. In a letter sent to the council leader Cllr Jason McLellan, opposition leader Cllr Huw Hilditch-Roberts criticised the cabinet for “failing to listen to residents' concerns”, which included proposals to close public toilets and reduce library opening hours. Cllr Hilditch-Roberts also took aim at the decision to close Cefndy Enterprises , a council-supported business providing employment for disabled people. In his letter Cllr Hi lditch-Roberts wanted to distance his group from recent decisions, such as the rollout of the new recycling “Trolibocs” scheme in June 2024, which went massively over budget, resulted in hundreds of missed collections, and led to a public apology. Denbighshire Council leader Cllr McLellan, though, argued Cllr Hilditch-Roberts was part of the cabinet that initiated the new recycling scheme and said “that under their watch this council would have gone bankrupt”. Cllr Hilditch-Roberts’ full statement reads: “We, the Independent Group of Denbighshire county councillors, are increasingly frustrated by the growing number of complaints from our residents regarding what they perceive as the continuing failings of you and your cabinet to listen to their concerns. North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox. “What is also concerning (is) that cabinet decisions are being communicated to the public as council decisions, which implies that all councillors share the same opinion as cabinet – which is not the case. "A number of issues are raised with us repeatedly, including: The handling of the new waste model – while there has been some improvement, this has come at significant cost. Furthermore, the recent national media coverage highlighting Denbighshire as second only to Barnsley in the UK for missed waste collections is deeply concerning. “The proposed closure of public toilets across the county – these facilities are a basic human need for residents and visitors alike, and their loss will have serious implications for public health, tourism, and accessibility. The drastically reduced opening hours of libraries – this has deprived thousands of our most vulnerable residents of a much-needed community hub, a warm and welcoming space where they can access advice, support, and connection. “The recent announcement of the closure of Cefndy Enterprises – made without proper consultation with affected organisations and personnel – has further reinforced the perception that your cabinet shows little regard for the residents and workforce of Denbighshire.” The letter added: “These examples, among others, illustrate a pattern of poor decision-making that is simply not acceptable. Our residents deserve better value for money and a higher standard of service from their council. The services are reducing yet the council tax is at an all-time high. “We therefore ask that you provide assurances that: Residents can expect a tangible improvement in the council’s performance and responsiveness; Frontline services will be protected. The voices of councillors – particularly those representing residents and communities free from party political influence – will be properly heard and respected.” The letter added: “Please note that there are many other matters of concern, but we ask that you respond initially to the issues outlined above so that the residents of Denbighshire may receive clear and timely answers to their complaints.” Leader Cllr Jason McLellan defended his cabinet’s decision and argued Cllr Hilditch-Roberts had been part of the previous cabinet that initiated the new recycling scheme before it was rolled out by the current regime. “The fact is we are prioritising our residents. We are spending more on social care, due to an aging population. We are looking after our elderly residents. We have increased spending in education for better outcomes for our children,” he said. “We are spending more looking after our vulnerable children who come into our care, often with very profound needs. New pressures on budgets mean that sadly difficult decisions have to be made about front-facing services. Now the fact the independent group failed to mention, or even recognise these pressures, shows a real lack of insight. “Now we are working hard with town councils to keep toilets open. Those discussions are ongoing, and I’m hopeful for a good outcome. The new waste model, that was devised by the previous cabinet, which included the now-leader of the independents group. “They approved and supported the model. They revised it, and they placed the funds to get the model up and running. However, when stress-tested in the real world, I’m the first to admit that it didn’t work. It was clearly underfunded. "I worked hard to turn it around. I faced up. I apologised to residents. I took responsibility, and I accept it happened on my watch. Now there is an investigation into the rollout. So this is an opportunity for members of the former cabinet to do the same and take some responsibility and apologise, as I have done. “I’m also very disappointed that the statement fails to acknowledge the fact that local government across Wales, and Denbighshire is no different, has suffered massive cuts in the revenue budget we receive from government. "This means again that difficult decisions have to be made." He added: “Throughout the budget process, I didn’t hear any meaningful contribution from the independent group. They shy away from making difficult decisions, and it is my view that under their watch this council would have gone bankrupt.” Public notices in your area
