Back bench viewpoint

Published: 4 February

• MY letter expressing the need to change Camden’s focus during icy conditions away from cars and towards favouring pedestrians by prioritising clearing pavements inspired quite a postbag.
Your correspondent Larraine Revah (January 21) held me in part res­ponsible because I happen to be a Liberal Democrat councillor. However, we’re really on the same side. I view the role of a backbencher councillor as extremely important.
Although power is technically vested in the 10 executive councillors with legal authority, it is for the three dozen backbenchers like me to hold Camden’s officers (including chief executive Moira Gibb) and the executive to account. 
It’s for us to act as the conscience and catalyst to bring about change, often resisted with enormous determination by senior officers, for example the Frank Barnes school, Talacre Gardens Town Green or the energy efficiency requirements of the new academy school.
Here’s a new one. As we move this April towards launching a new organic waste collection every week in addition to the existing recycling collection, why are we still going to retain two general waste collections per week in these days of necessary belt tightening?
For the new organic waste collection service to be successful and waste in Camden to be economic, we need both carrot and a stick.
Let’s get rid of that second general waste collection each week to incentivise recycling and reduce the tonnage going to landfill.
Cllr Paul Braithwaite
Lib Dem, Cantelowes ward