Borough and District councils in Essex will have to adopt the county council waste strategy, including massive oversized waste plants and an incinerator, or have money for recycling cut off. This astonishing admission was made by the cabinet member responsible for waste and recycling at Essex County Council. The county council has nearly £6m available to fund councils that want to improve their recycling rates, but it will only be given to councils that sign up.

Commenting about the decision, Cllr Ian Gale, Liberal Democrats spokesman for waste and recycling said: “This is money that has been given to the county council by central government for the purpose of boosting recycling across the county - the money came with no strings attached. However, the Conservative administration has seen fit to add its own strings and limit the money to those borough and district councils that are prepared to toe the county Conservative line.

“The Liberal Democrats group has spent the last 10 years arguing the case for county council incentives for recycling initiatives. It seems that the Conservatives have finally come around to agreeing with us, but under the most bizarre of circumstances.”