Sunday 12th May 2013 marks the third anniversary of Eric Pickles’ appointment to the role of Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
His time in office has been characterised by an indefatigable dedication to pursuing his own distinctive path through the minefield of local authority waste collection and Mr Pickles has certainly been effective in turning his views into often media friendly policies: his championing of waste reward schemes; his distaste for councils penalising people who don’t comply with the rules on household waste; or his championing of weekly refuse collection through the (rather less than successful) Weekly Collection Support Scheme.
As a result, DCLG has certainly made much of the running on waste and recycling since 2010.
We at Isonomia owe him special thanks for all the material this has provided our authors with. Thanks to his willingness to persist with plans in the face of the views (and sometimes the evidence!) put forward by opponents, he has been the subject of more of our articles than any other individual, and the mention of his name brings the readers flocking.
The admin desk therefore felt that this anniversary was too momentous a date to be allowed to pass unmarked. A highly appropriate chocolate and stout cake was therefore whipped up and tastefully decorated in the likeness of the Right Honourable member for Brentwood and Ongar. Thankfully, there was little risk of any of it being left to sit in a “slop bucket” as the entire thing was consumed with almost unseemly speed. And tonight we’ll all be ordering in a commemorative tikka masala…
A culinary tribute. Photo by Joe Hudson
Mr Pickles, writing about waste policy would have been far less interesting over the last three years without your contribution. We who are in your debt salute you!
Brilliant – a suitable picture for youtube methinks!