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LANDMARK ATTRACTION IS COVERED IN RUBBISH
Link to read original article
01 September 2006
s%20little.jpg) Bank Holiday
confusion has led to rubbish being strewn across Bath's
iconic Royal Crescent.
And residents of
the Grade I-listed buildings claim that this proves recent
changes to the way Bath and North East Somerset Council
collects household waste are unworkable. Previously, rubbish
from many homes on the crescent was collected directly from
concealed bin stores, leaving the pathway in front clear
even on collection days.
But since June,
residents have had to leave their bags out in front of their
homes on the morning the binmen are due to pick up, as part
of a district-wide shake- up intended to cut costs and
improve health and safety for workers.
The Royal
Crescent collection day is usually Thursday, but, as in
other parts of the district, it was shifted back a day this
week because of the bank holiday on Monday.
Unfortunately,
many residents forgot and left their rubbish out for
collection on the usual day, which meant it spent a whole
day and night festering on the pavement outside one of the
city's landmark tourist attractions.
Although he did
not blame the council for the residents' mistakes in leaving
their rubbish out early, Royal Crescent Association chairman
Stephen Little said this particular problem would never have
come about under the old system because the bags would not
have been put on show in the first place.
The council's
executive member for environment and sustainability, Cllr
Gerry Curran (Lib Dem, Twerton), has repeatedly defended the
changes and offered to discuss compro- mise arrangements in
areas where there are particular problems.
But Mr Little
said: "This is exactly what we feared would happen on
occasion. I'm particularly appalled at Cllr Curran's
comments the other week that it's all died down.
"In reality,
people do feel strongly about it still and we fear its going
to get worse in the winter.
"He should
remember that silence is not assent. Just because people
aren't complaining doesn't mean they are happy."
The Royal
Crescent Association had recently turned down an offer of
twice weekly collections. Cllr Curran was not available to
comment.
Reader Coments
How many years has the council done this, because of bank
holiday monday the collections are behind, has anyone else
complained, perhaps they at the Royal Crescent should put
more effort into taking responsibillty for there refuse and
stop complaining
Bill, Bath
Shame on the residents for not taking responsibility for
their actions. You can't blame the council if you put your
waste out on the wrong day!
Rob, Bath
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RESIDENTS WIN IN BIN BATTLE
Link to read original article
This is Bath
19 August 2006
Residents of a
street in Keynsham have won a victory in their bid to
reverse changes made to the way their household rubbish is
collected.
Earlier this
summer Bath and North East Somerset Council controversially
introduced an "edge of property" rubbish collection policy
to improve staff health and safety and to save money.
Under the new
rules, binmen will only collect rubbish left out by people's
front gates or doors unless special arrangements have been
agreed in advance with the council.
Firs Court
residents have succeeded in convincing the council to think
again in their case and collect their rubbish bags from the
back of their homes.
Alan Hale,
pictured, a local Conservative Party activist, lodged an
appeal when he discovered that residents of Rowan Walk,
which backs on to Firs Court, were having their rubbish
collected at the rear.
He said: "There
was a ludicrous situation where waste collectors had to walk
practically twice the distance from the back of Rowan Walk
to the front of Firs Court. The backs of these properties
are only three or four metres away.
"Residents were
being inconvenienced, and so were the collectors who would
be wasting their time walking instead of working. Our
successful appeal to the council shows a positive result can
be achieved if such obvious inconsistencies are pointed
out."
Cllr Charles
Gerrish (Conservative, Keynsham North) said: "The new system
has not been implemented very well at all by the council.
However, residents can claim an exemption from edge of
property collections if they have a disability or medical
condition."
The council has
made it clear on numerous occasions that it believes the
change of policy was necessary, that it has been accepted by
a majority of residents and that negotiations have been
carried out on a case-by- case basis to find solutions to
particular problems raised.
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CRESCENT SAYS NO TO A SECOND WASTE PICK-UP
Link to read original articleAugust 2006
Residents of
Bath's most prestigious street have turned down twice weekly
rubbish collections because they believe it would be unfair
on the rest of the city.
Members of the
Royal Crescent Association have raised serious concerns
about Bath and North East Somerset Council's new policy of
only collecting household rubbish left out at the front of
properties.
They believe
black bags left in front of the city's famous Georgian
landmarks every Thursday morning are turning the World
Heritage Site into an eyesore and pose a safety risk to
pedestrians.
After
negotiations with the council, they were offered an extra
collection during the week to reduce the amount of rubbish
left out on the pavement at any one time.
A similar service
is already provided for some city-centre addresses where
there is not enough room to store a whole week's rubbish
inside, such as New King Street and Great Stanhope Street,
where most of the properties have been converted into flats.
But the Royal
Crescent Society turned the offer down because it believes
an alternative to edge-of- property collection should be
offered to everyone.
The council has
also offered to keep collections on the crescent weekly but
change the day to Monday, to make it easier for residents
who live elsewhere during the week to put their rubbish out.
A decision has
not yet been reached on the latest offer.
Society member
Martyn Daniels said: "We don't want to be an exception,
that's the underlying thing. It's just as much Brock Street,
Lansdown and Marlborough Buildings as us."
He said he was
concerned about how the new system would work in the winter,
when it was dark and wet, and said there had already been a
number of gull attacks on bags.
Stephen Little,
the society's chairman, is still pressing for basement
collections to be resumed.
Cllr Gerry Curran
(Lib Dem, Twerton), the council's executive member for
environment and sustainability, said the twice-weekly
collections were not only being offered to wealthy areas.
"It is a solution
to a city-centre problem where there are many houses in
multiple occupation. It is not unfair to other people, it is
an attempt to fix a particular problem."
Council waste
services manager Carol Tunnard said about 30 per cent of
Royal Crescent residents responded to council letters making
the offer and opinion was split down the middle on
twice-weekly collections, so officers turned to the society
for a casting vote.
The council
changed the way it collects rubbish in June to improve
health and safety for workers and to save £124,000 a year in
staffing costs. Previously, binmen had collected rubbish
from gardens, back alleys, cellars and bin stores.
This practice had
been criticised by the Government's Health and Safety
Executive, but Royal Crescent residents questioned whether
the changes to collection methods would cut accidents.
They believe a
deal has been struck between the council and trade unions to
secure the change.
Reader views
Just come back from a visit to the Crescent association
website - you provided the link. There I followed their link
to a news story about bins in Edinburgh. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/s2.cfm?id=650012003
You have got to read it - very sharp, I'm still smiling.
Unfortunately our own Crescent association is obviously not
as sharp if they think this supports their cause. Our own
Chronicle could do with some journalism up to the Scotsman
standard.
Rob, Bath
WHO DO THE CRESCENT ASSOCIATION THINK THEY ARE!!! I LIVE IN
BATH TOO THANK GOD I DO NOT LIVE THERE I LIVE WITH TRUE BATH
PEOPLE
JOHN, BATH
The Council is right on this issue. The Crescent association
says on it's website that it is an issue of lack of
consultation. I do not see how the Council could have
cost-effectively consulted on the matter throughout B&NES.
In any event they were not obliged to do so. If there had
been consultation and it had said to go ahead, I would have
no doubt that the Crescent association would still object
because of its special location - my opinion. Clearly the
Council is calling the Crescent association's bluff in
offering 2 collections and just as clearly the Crescent
association will not accept it as the real issue for it is
not to have the bins in front of the homes at all, so having
bins out twice a week would be worse. The bottom line is
that the majority of people in B&NES do not have a problem
with the new collection. If the Crescent association wants
to make a special case for different arrangements then ok -
but it should not be under the delusion that is standing up
for the whole of B&NES or say it wants the same treatment as
every other street when it does want special treatment and
does get it - when was the last time the Council turned my
street into a cul de sac to stop the buses driving by?
Rob, Bath
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COUNCIL REVEALS BACKGROUND TO ITS DECISION
Link to original article
04 August 2006
Detailed
information on how the council came to introduce
controversial changes to waste collections has been released
to a group trying to have them reversed. The Royal Crescent
Society submitted a raft of questions to Bath and North East
Somerset Council under the Freedom of Information Act in a
bid to boost its case for the new edge-of-property
collection policy to be scrapped.
As well as
revealing that binmen have suffered more than 200 accidents
during the past five years, the council's response to the
society provides details of how dangerous the council deemed
the now- discontinued collection methods.
It sets out the
risk, as the council perceived it, of binmen being bitten by
dogs, of entering cellars, and of handling rubbish bags and
bins.
Risk of dog bite
was deemed 'low', while back alleys were rated a 'medium'
risk because binmen could trip or fall. Entering cellars was
also a 'medium' risk for the same reason.
Carrying bins and
bags was another 'medium' risk because of the potential for
binmen to suffer back strain and repetitive stress injuries.
To reduce this risk, the binmen now receive training on how
to lift heavy loads and are instructed to stop and rest if
carrying rubbish for long distances.
Answering other
questions, it said there were 126 areas across the district
where exceptions had been made to the new collection policy
and that of just under 1,400 people who had applied for help
taking their rubbish out, only two had been turned down.
To see the correspondence in full visit
www.royalcrescentbath.com .
Two reader comments:
Just come back from a visit to the Crescent association
website - you provided the link. There I followed their link
to a news story about bins in Edinburgh. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/s2.cfm?id=650012003
You have got to read it - very sharp, I'm still smiling.
Unfortunately our own Crescent association is obviously not
as sharp if they think this supports their cause. Our own
Chronicle could do with some journalism up to the Scotsman
standard.
Rob, Bath
The Council is right on this issue. The Crescent
association says on it's website that it is an issue of lack
of consultation. I do not see how the Council could have
cost-effectively consulted on the matter throughout B&NES.
In any event they were not obliged to do so. If there had
been consultation and it had said to go ahead, I would have
no doubt that the Crescent association would still object
because of its special location - my opinion. Clearly the
Council is calling the Crescent association's bluff in
offering 2 collections and just as clearly the Crescent
association will not accept it as the real issue for it is
not to have the bins in front of the homes at all, so having
bins out twice a week would be worse. The bottom line is
that the majority of people in B&NES do not have a problem
with the new collection. If the Crescent association wants
to make a special case for different arrangements then ok -
but it should not be under the delusion that is standing up
for the whole of B&NES or say it wants the same treatment as
every other street when it does want special treatment and
does get it - when was the last time the Council turned my
street into a cul de sac to stop the buses driving by?
Rob, Bath
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10,000 PEOPLE
THINK THIS STINKS
Date : 01.08.06
Controversial changes to bin collections in the Bath area
sparked nearly 10,000 extra complaints to a council customer
service centre.
The sheer number of inquiries - one for every seven homes
in Bath and north east Somerset - sent the Council Connect
call centre into meltdown, jamming lines and preventing
people trying to renew library books, report highways
problems or use other council services from getting through.
Now detailed figures showing exactly how pressure on the
call centre increased have been made public - and they
suggest there may be many other complainants who failed to
get through.
A report to the council's corporate issues and
partnerships overview and scrutiny panel shows the number of
calls made jumped from 14,270 in May to 23,388 in June,
while there were also hundreds more emails. Of the callers,
a sixth - 4,288 - hung up before getting through. Detailed
information on calls received has been available since a new
computer system was installed last year.
The increase is specifically put down to complaints or
queries sparked by the change to edge- of-property rubbish
collection, introduced early last month.
Under new rules, brought in to improve health and safety
for workers and save money for the council, binmen no longer
collect rubbish from gardens, back alleys or bin stores,
only bins and bags left by the front entrance to a property.
Many residents have questioned the council's argument
that it needed to make changes for safety reasons.
But statistics released under the Freedom of Information
Act show that of 201 accidents suffered by binmen in the
district during the past five years, 124 were suffered while
they were out on their rounds and could potentially have
been prevented by different working practices.
That is one accident every two weeks, with incidents
ranging from trips and cuts to more serious injuries. In one
incident earlier this year, a binman broke his leg falling
in a pothole on a resident's drive.
A further 71 took place at waste depots and recycling
centres so the recent changes would not have had an impact
on them, although other health and safety improvements have
been made at those sites.
The changes were partly spurred by a report from the
Government's Health and Safety Executive which last year
questioned the wisdom of back lane and cellar collections in
particular, pointing out the risks of workers falling,
straining their backs or being run over by reversing
vehicles.
Extra staff had to be drafted in to the council's call
centre to help deal with the large numbers of people calling
because they were confused about what to do with their
rubbish or angry at the changes.
Cllr Gerry Curran (Lib Dem, Twerton), the council's
executive member for environment and sustainability, said:
"I do keep up to date on this on a daily basis and after the
first week it did start to calm down and tail off.
"When we realised there were so many queries in relation
to waste we sent some people from waste management to work
at Council Connect to deal with some of the extra calls. It
was unsatisfactory to have Council Connect completely
log-jammed with calls about waste.
"I'm pleased to say the waste management teams have
worked really hard dealing with each call, meeting with
people and dealing with all queries on an individual basis.
It is pretty much back to normal now."
He said most residents now accepted the new arrangements
and early problems had been ironed out, although a
relatively small number of people remained opposed in
principle.
b.murch@bathchron.co.uk
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BUT
LIB DEM HAD PLENTY OF TIME FOR PUBLICITY
11:15 - 28 July
2006
Your recent
article 'Recycling initiative to benefit local charities'
supports a worthy cause (page 20, July 21). Yet was I the
only person to notice that although the Lib Dems disappeared
during the time of their botched edge of property collection
implementation, they all of a sudden reappear for a picture
in the press? For weeks local residents have experienced
problems with their rubbish collections.
Residents
visiting my weekly Saturday street surgeries in Weston (and
politicians of all colours) have complained about Lib Dem
waste chief Cllr Gerry Curran (pictured) not returning phone
calls or his email box not accepting emails.
Yet despite the
lack of urgency to respond to these important concerns, Cllr
Curran managed to pencil into his diary a photo shoot
featuring him leaning next to a toy truck, a teapot, some
plates, and Sulley, the blue creature from the film Monsters
Inc.
It is good that
the initiative to rescue bric-a-brac for charity shops is
taking place. I welcome it.
But local
residents will be wondering how Cllr Curran could find the
time to appear in this photograph, when sacks of rubbish
were piling-up around the district and phone calls and
emails to him were going unanswered. Posing in photos at
recycling depots wearing a fluorescent tabard is easy; but
when it comes to the hard work of getting policies right,
like rubbish collections, the Lib Dems go absent without
leave.
CLLR COLIN
BARRETT
Con, Weston
WHY
NEW RULES JUST DON'T WORK
Plus 1 reader comment
11:15 - 27 July 2006
I Stopped on my
way to work last Friday to take the photograph above. It
neatly shows two sides of the current debate about rubbish
and waste services in Bath. The photograph was taken outside
the type of property where, for decades, rubbish has been
stored out of sight and out of the reach of ravaging vermin,
pending collection.
As a direct
result of the council's recent decision to withdraw a
significant amenity for the sake of a relatively small
financial saving, this is our new city streetscape and it is
much to Bath's detriment.
The farcical
attempt at public information on the changes to refuse
collections, the introduction of spurious health and safety
arguments, the timing of the changes to coincide precisely
with the clearance of hundreds of student dwellings and the
illogical statement of a non-existent necessity at some
(unspecified) future date to synchronise refuse collection
with green box collections have all made this process even
more difficult to accept than it might otherwise have been.
Closer inspection
of the photograph highlights the flip side of the refuse
situation and the very real challenges faced by the council
in managing the city's waste.
The contents of
the bag spilled all over the pavement include paper, plastic
bottles, cardboard, glass, foil, textiles and compostable
waste.
Seven different
categories of recyclable material consigned by one resident
to go to landfill.
It is no surprise
that someone unable to understand the simple ecological and
financial arguments for recycling was also bright enough to
leave documentation bearing their name and address in their
waste.
I hope the
council will use cases such as this to pursue the
individuals concerned. People are quick to decry "nanny
state" measures, but they are often the only way to
encourage behaviour resembling thought in those unable to
demonstrate this capacity.
JOHN BRANSTON
Second Avenue
Bath
Reader comment:
THERE are at least three different ways of stopping this
disgusting souvenir of a gull's banquet (see small
photograph).
1. Ban the use of
plastic sacks and insist that each household has a refuse
bin with a fixed lid.
2. Make the
separation of edibles and non-edibles compulsory.
3. Stop putting
plastic bags on the footpath or highway before 6am on
collection days.
I wonder which
choice the residents of this road would prefer?
DENIS LOVELACE
Vernon Terrace
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RUBBISH LEAFLET MUST BE INSTANTLY RECYCLED
11:15 - 26 July
2006
Judging from the
strength of feeling expressed of late about B &NES'
questionable edge-of-property refuse collection policy in
Bath, I was surprised to find that only 30-odd residents had
bothered to turn up to grill council representatives at the
second regional consultation evening organised by the
grandly-titled 'West of England waste management and
planning partnership,' at the Guildhall on July 17.
Disappointing, too, was my discovery that, from thousands of
distributed copies of the introductory and explanatory
'Rubbish or resource?' leaflet, a mere 500 or so had, by the
date of the meeting, been returned.
My own gripes
with the leaflet began on the first page. A section map
showed that B &NES had been lumped together with North
Somerset Council into this hybrid organisation. From the
outset B &NES has been denied the autonomy to deal with its
own waste.
Further it turns
out that our domestic decision-making processes have been
subjugated to European edict, as, we are told, it is EU laws
which are forcing us to reduce the amount of waste sent to
landfill. Nothing wrong with that in principle, but it is
explained that if we fail to achieve our European-set
'targets' by 2012, we could face heavy fines.
Such a punitive
measure is a short-sighted, knee-jerk answer. If there is
the potential to clobber the public in the wallet for
failure to re-use or recycle, human nature dictates that the
field will be wide open for a huge increase in fly-tipping.
The big stick
approach is implicit in the either-or scenario outlined
next; levying of said fines, it appears, will (note, not
'may') mean raising council tax or cutting services. This is
scaremongering at its worst. It does not have to be this
way. How about, as part of the waste management solution,
the lobbying by government and councils of manufacturers to
produce less packaging?
Admittedly, the
leaflet does tell us that 'Businesses and organisations are
being encouraged to make new products with less waste in
them'. How, then? What steps has B &NES taken in this
direction?
It seems to me
from the information available that there is only the
authority preferred option. The clue lies in the statement
that the council is looking at 'a range of energy from waste
treatments' and the tie-in questions which ask "After all
possible recycling has taken place, do you think councils
should try to obtain further value from 'real rubbish'
(residual waste)?', 'Do you know that you can obtain energy
from waste?' and 'Do you think it is a good idea for us to
investigate this option?".
Energy from waste
is the waste industry euphemism for 'incineration'. Perhaps
I have been doing Bath residents a disservice. Perhaps they
read through the leaflet, saw the direction it was taking,
and regarded this so-called 'consultation' as a sham like so
many other designed to appease local authority statutory
obligations with a token nod in the direction of public
involvement. Maybe they took the view that B &NES would go
ahead and do what it intended to do regardless, as it has
before.
I wonder why B &NES
didn't save time and expense by coming straight to the point
and announcing that an incineration plant was to be built.
I, for one, will not be incinerating my copy of the 'Rubbish
or Resource?' leaflet: I intend to recycle it - straight
into the nearest wastepaper basket.
KEITH DAVIS
Broad Street
Place, Bath
Reader Comment:
LIB Dem Cllr Dine Romero (Letters, July 10) was doing
exactly what Cllr Colin Barrett (Conservative) said of the
Lib Dems in his letter of the same day. She was burying her
head in the sand or, on this occasion, it may be more
appropriate to say burying her head in the rubbish.
I am not
surprised, however, to learn that Cllr Romero did not know
that one of her duties and responsibilities as a councillor
on a unitary authority was to collect household waste and
arrange for its disposal.
If she is aware
that we are going to run out of landfill sites she should be
looking for alternative arrangements now and not burying her
head in the sand waiting for it to happen and then to
suggest that council taxpayers will have to bury their waste
in their own gardens.
GABRIEL M BATT
High Street
Batheaston
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COUNCILLORS FIX RESIDENTS' RUBBISH BIN COLLECTIONS
11:15 - 18 July 2006
Action is being
taken to improve rubbish and recycling collections in
Peasedown St John following a series of missed collections.
Residents in Hillside View, Fairfield Terrace, Hillcrest and
Under Knoll have all suffered collection problems in the
past month.
It comes after
the introduction of a new system by Bath and North East
Somerset Council last month.
B &NES members
for Peasedown, Cllrs Sarah Bevan and Gail Coleshill, have
now stepped in to make sure the problems are smoothed out.
Cllr Bevan said:
"I have arranged for missed bin collections for these
residents, and for clarification from officers and
operational teams as to what the reasons are for confusing
information given to them.
"I would be happy
to continue solving these and any other problems residents
encounter as the new arrangements bed down."
Anyone
experiencing refuse collection problems in the village is
urged to call Cllr Bevan on 01761 420141.
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WASTE
CONCERNS
Link To Original Article
11:15 - 17 July 2006
At the recent B
&NES public meeting, the waste department revealed that the
working practice of 'task and finish' had been scrapped with
the kerb-side collection change.
Under this
practice, bin men were allocated tasks to complete and, once
achieved, they could knock off. This was a major issue in
the 2005 Waste Study Report.
The change did
not get raised in the submissions to the meeting in March,
nor was the fact that the change was going to be done
flagged up. This raises a question of whether the union
negotiations were performed prior to, or following, the
call-in meeting and, if prior to, whether there was a
reversal back-out clause if the call-in or any subsequent
reversal was agreed.
Working
practices, as with redundancies, are complex employment
issues and, if they involve changes to contracts of
employment, often involve difficult negotiations.
As the change was
argued not on environmental issues but on health and safety
and cost reduction, then a number of obvious questions are
raised. Additionally, unless rotas have changed, it is also
difficult to understand why work schedules that were
previously effective have often failed to clear rubbish
following the change.
We hear much
about the safety of bin men and little about the safety of
residents. If the council knows of a real health risk to its
staff, should it really pass responsibility on to residents
with no warning, education or mitigation of the risk?
The cynic may ask
whether the change is about union negotiations and changing
their working practices more than anything to do with real
health and safety, the environment, and indeed the council's
responsibilities to manage a World Heritage site.
The recent
meeting highlighted in stark detail the inability of the
waste department to manage change or engage with the
community and, given the proposed changes being planned, it
appears we may well be lurching into more management
exposure unless changes are made.
MARTYN DANIELS
Royal Crescent,
Bath
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COUNCILLOR
SHOWS IGNORANCE OF ISSUES
Link to the original Article
11:15 - 15 July 2006
Cllr Dine
Romero's letter regarding the rubbish collections shows her
complete ignorance of the issues. We are all aware of our
responsibilities with regards to recycling and landfill
sites, however it is the amount that is collected, not where
it is collected from that has an impact on landfill.
If this was the
reason for changing the system, then something would be done
about the amount that student households put out at the
expense of the rest of us.
Having attended
the overview and scrutiny meeting at Keynsham last week, it
was sad to hear story after story of how this ill-conceived
policy is having adverse effects on people's lives. The
stories clearly illustrated how officers, councillors and
especially Cllr Curran do not know the city and its
environs. I sincerely hope that common sense will prevail
and the original system is reinstated. At the meeting Cllr
Curran remarked that he was only interested in the future.
So are we Cllr Curran, and after May it will be without you.
MISS A PHILLIPS
Coronation Avenue
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RUBBISH CHAOS IS
EVERYWHERE
Link to the original Article
11:15 - 15 July 2006
I Would like to
reassure your Bath-based readers they are not the only ones
at the mercy of Lib Dem incompetence on waste collections.
In Midsomer
Norton, we too are suffering. Last week in the ward which I
represent on B &NES, nearly 25 streets failed to have their
rubbish sacks collected on their normal day.
Similar problems
have been experienced for the past five weeks.
After more than
one month of operation, local taxpayers throughout the
district would have expected to see at least some
improvement. If anything, the Lib Dems are letting things
get worse and worse.
Many of your
readers in Midsomer Norton have contacted me to agree with
the letter you recently printed by Cllr Colin Barrett
(Letters, July 10). A week never seems to pass when we don't
see a Lib Dem politician, whether it is Cllr Curran or
someone else, holding a recycling receptacle or peering into
a compost bin for no other reason than to secure a photo
opportunity.
But when it comes
to the nitty-gritty of sorting out problems on rubbish
collections the Lib Dems scarper. This undermines public
confidence in the council.
Most
disappointing, however, is the lack of publicity given to
the process by which elderly or disabled people could apply
for an assisted collection. We had so many problems in
Midsomer Norton that Cllr Chris Watt and I paid for space in
a local newspaper to print the assisted collection
application form.
Despite warnings
by my Conservative colleagues the implementation was not
going to plan, Cllr Curran and other Lib Dems laughed us off
criticising us for jumping on political bandwagons.
There is a
distinction between making valid observations about a flawed
process and making cheap political points.
Sadly, Cllr
Curran hasn't recognised it and the Lib Dems have ended up
with egg on their faces.
CLLR SHIRLEY STEEL
Con, Midsomer Norton North
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WHAT IF THIS WAS
ROYAL CRESCENT?
LINK TO ORIGINAL
ARTICLE
11:15 - 18 July
2006
Would that all
residents who live in our beloved heritage city could get
the same level of service. The fridge freezer in my
photograph has been on the pavement in Englishcombe Lane
(opposite the turning into Southdown Road) for two days.
Last Friday saw the beginning of the third day. I think that
if it had been on the pavement in Royal Crescent, it would
have been a different story - gone in minutes.
This is yet
another example of the 'them and us' treatment across the
city. And why I ask?
ELEANOR SWIFT
Southdown Road,
Bath
Reader Comments:
Dear Eleanor,
I 100% agree that
we should all be treated the same. In fact we were offered
twice weekly refuse collections by our Waste department but
said no and not unless others were afforded the same
exception. Bath is a World Heritage Site not the Royal
Crescent or Circus but Bath and the incompitance of a few in
office are negleting that fact and their basic duty to
provide an effective service to all. I hope the fridge has
now gone if not please phone Carol Turrard at the waste Dept
or better still Cllr Curran.
M Daniels, Royal Crescent, Bath
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YOUR
IDEAS WANTED ON GETTING RID OF RUBBISH
LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE
11:15 - 13 July
2006
The goal of
eliminating household waste in Bath will be the subject of a
public meeting on Monday.
Bath and North
East Somerset Council is pushing ahead with plans to recycle
and reuse every possible item of domestic waste, and wants
to hear residents' ideas on the issue.
The council is
particularly keen to know what people believe should be done
with 'residual waste' - the rubbish that is left over when
all recycling and composting measures have been taken.
Currently, the
rubbish is sent to landfill sites.
But such sites
are filling up, and they can also release gases that are
harmful to the environment.
As a result, B &NES
Council is keen to draw up a new strategy.
The debate comes
just a few weeks after the council was heavily criticised
for changes to its refuse collections.
Called Rubbish or
Resource? the public meeting will take place at the
Guildhall from 6.30pm.
The event will be
chaired by Professor Adam Read, an international expert in
waste management.
Cllr Gerry
Curran, executive member for environment and sustainability,
said: "We are asking the public to be aware that we have to
find alternatives to landfill.
"We shall
continue to encourage waste reduction and recycling
programmes, but for the foreseeable future, there will
inevitably be some rubbish left over.
"Research is
under way in the fields of science and technology to look
into new ways of dealing with residual waste, and the
council will continue to monitor this.
" We are looking
into a wide range of alternative methods, and there are many
different options or combination of options available.
"We want to hear
the public's views on this important matter before we begin
to plan a strategy for the next 25 years."
Rubbish or
Resource? survey leaflets are available from libraries and
council offices, and can be viewed and completed online at
www.rubbishorresource.co.uk .
t.bradshaw@bathchron.co.uk
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RUBBISH HAS BIG
CASH IMPLICATIONS
LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE11:15 - 12 July 2006
We live in a large house which was converted to flats 43
years ago. There have been no regular rubbish collections
since the end of May despite the recent waste directive from
B &NES stating there would be no change for flats with a
"purpose built communal bin store".
Five weeks of accumulating rubbish have not been a great
problem despite the heat because our communal bin store,
shielded from public view, is twice as far from our front
door as it is from the pavement and our neighbourhood
badgers, foxes and canal rats form an orderly queue.
Regular complaints to Council Connect produced no
response whatever but finally, last week, we were told by
two B &NES waste services officials separately (no names, no
packdrill) that converted houses did not qualify as flats
but were classified as single family dwellings.
Needless to say, we were delighted with this
clarification of B &NES' policy and immediately wrote to B &NES
resource planning seeking cancellation of our two Band D
council tax assessments (£2,500) and four B and C
assessments (£4,500) in favour of a single top Band H
assessment (£2,500) on our House Association, together with
a refund of all overpayments since council tax began. How
many hundreds of Bath's converted houses are in a similar
fortunate position? Those not so lucky can resort to
fly-tipping in tourist areas in the city.
Cllr Symonds' anticipated savings of £124,000 must surely
evaporate under such conditions.
RC ORME
Bathampton, Bath
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LIB DEMS VANISH
AT TIME OF CRISIS
LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE 11:15 - 10 July 2006
The Lib Dem apologist for their botched implementation of
the edge- of-property refuse collection accused me, and
other Conservative councillors, of jumping on a political
bandwagon (Letters, June 27). This is nonsense.
Each of us has been helping our local communities cope
with the problems caused by the calamitous start.
In fact, I believe local councillors have been restrained
in their criticism of Lib Dem Cllr Gerry Curran and his
remarkably laidback demeanour in the face of such
difficulties.
My letter will not take such a charitable view. Whether
residents or politicians agree in principle, or not, to the
decision to adopt an edge-of-property waste collection,
there is one inescapable fact. The implementation has been
an unmitigated disaster. As executive member for waste, Cllr
Curran is accountable.
Despite my warnings (published in the Chronicle on May
31) about the lack of publicity and general awareness of the
changes, the Lib Dems complacently explained it would be all
right on the night and the campaign had been effective.
Perhaps they should have told that to residents who
hadn't a clue what was going on in Weston Village.
In Cllr Curran's own ward of Twerton, residents were
receiving letters informing them of changes more than a week
after edge-of- property collection started.
And then there were the difficulties experienced by some
being unable to get a response from the council for an
assisted collection.
Statements by the Lib Dems that residents' rubbish bags
would be lighter because more recycling is going on, did not
reassure anyone who was elderly or disabled and couldn't get
through to the council connect line to request an
application form.
Unfortunately, rather than be at the forefront of sorting
out this mess, and ever-increasing sacks of rubbish, the Lib
Dem reaction has been to bury heads in the sand. I have
received numerous comments from residents and councillors of
all political persuasions saying they cannot get in contact
with Cllr Curran.
Emails bounce back stating his inbox is full, and him
failing to respond to telephone calls are the most common.
Having photographs taken holding recycling receptacles or
compost bins are easy.
But when the Lib Dems find things are getting a bit
rough, their response is to perform a vanishing act.
CLLR COLIN BARRETT
Con, Weston
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ANGRY CLASHES IN
RUBBISH ROW
LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE11:15
- 07 July 2006
Rubbish bosses say people might get the sack over a
controversial refuse collection - but it isn't the one that
critics might want.
Rodent-proof sacks could be introduced across Bath to
allay fears the city could be overrun with rats after a
shake-up earlier this month, which means refuse bags must be
left at the front of properties. The move, designed to
protect dustmen from injury and save time and money, has
sparked a fierce backlash from residents.
Dozens of them packed into a council meeting on Wednesday
night to vent their anger.
At the meeting of Bath and North East Somerset Council's
planning, transportation and sustainability overview and
scrutiny panel, held in Keynsham Town Hall, residents and
councillors were told that hessian sacks could deter rats
and seagulls from picking at black bags, spilling waste on
to the streets.
Wheelie bins, bulk collection points and even underground
bin storage, in places where people are forced to leave
their rubbish on the pavement outside their property, could
also be introduced.
But waste bosses were lambasted for what residents called
lack of thought, lack of common sense and a
one-size-fits-all mentality.
One critic said the furore could have disastrous effects
for recycling and should have been phased in gradually.
Rural residents, who said they had not been warned about
the changes, told how they were left frustrated when binmen
refused to take the bags away.
Peasedown St John parish councillor Guy Matthews said his
rubbish had been left for five weeks because he had been
left off the list which allows people with disabilities to
leave their bags outside their doors instead of at the edge
of their properties.
Executive member for waste, Cllr Gerry Curran, apologised
to residents who did not know about the changes and whose
rubbish was not collected.
"I cannot apologise, however, for taking responsibility
for the health and safety of people who collect our
rubbish," he said.
"I'm not interested in the golden age of waste
collection. Times change, working practices change.
"If ever a decision went through the democratic process
it's this one. I've never thought it was one size fits all
for B &NES.
"I take exception to the suggestion that there has never
been a black bag in any street in B &NES in the past.
"Phasing it in gradually could just have prolonged the
agony."
Council call lines, which had been in meltdown after the
measures were introduced, were also back to normal, he said.
Matthew Smith, the council's head of leisure and
amenities, said the Health and Safety Executive had
recommended the changes after worrying sickness levels due
to muscular and skeletal injuries in the workforce
nationally. In B &NES it had been as high as 11 per cent,
although long-term sickness was three per cent.
But Cllr Colin Barrett (Con, Weston) said those levels
did not indicate a large health and safety problem, adding:
"We've forgotten about the health and safety aspect for the
residents themselves."
Dennis Lovelace, of East Twerton residents' association
Downstream South, said he had been forced to move rubbish
left by students departing on their summer holidays three
weeks running. He wants special collections for departing
students.
"Can the council apply a little common sense here?
Students quit their digs on the Friday or Saturday and leave
their rubbish to be collected up to four days later."
The council hopes that by 2020 Bath will be a
rubbish-free city with zero waste going to landfill and
every resident recycling.
e.cooney@bathchron.co.uk
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EYESORE 1
LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE
11:15 - 03 July
2006
The organisation
which promotes Bath to the outside world has expressed
concern about the impression given by binbags on the city's
historic streets. Opponents of a controversial rubbish
collection shake-up have now posted the comments of Bath
Tourism Plus on a campaign website.
Changes to the way collections are made - aimed at saving
money and preventing accidents - mean more householders now
have to leave their binbags on the pavement.
But Bath Tourism Plus, which exists to promote the city
to visitors, says the presence of overflowing waste bags at
key locations could damage the area's reputation as a
beautiful destination.
Its chief executive Robin Bischert has now written to
Bath and North East Somerset Council outlining its concerns.
The letter makes no specific criticism of the new
arrangements but says: "Such iconic locations as the Royal
Crescent are captured on film by almost every overseas
visitor and first-time domestic visitor to Bath.
"Our heritage is the subject of scrutiny throughout the
day by many who simply wish to admire our buildings,
gracious crescents and boulevards.
"Overflowing bins and black bin- bags left on pavements
will obviously detract from the image of our World Heritage
Site which we wish to portray around the world.
"Operating efficiencies on the part of the council are
both necessary and permanently evolving, but Bath Tourism
Plus must add its voice to the concerns raised by many that
refuse is often seen to be left on our major highways and
byways, sometimes for extended periods.
"Whilst we are certain that every care is taken to ensure
that collections are prompt and reliable, Bath Tourism Plus
would welcome any initiative which would ensure that our
iconic city centre locations are given the necessary
considerations they deserve."
Mr Bischert told the Chronicle: "As Bath Tourism Plus is
charged with marketing Bath and the surrounding area, we
have to be concerned about the image the city projects.
"The architecture and ambience are what make a visit to
Bath so memorable so image is all important. Anything that
might detract from that image is bound to cause concern."
The letter had been sent in reaction to a plea from a
resident of the Royal Crescent, Michael Daw, and is included
in a new section of the Royal Crescent Society's website,
www.royalcrescentbath.com, which is being used in the
campaign against the rubbish shake-up.
The council is no longer sending its binmen and women on
to people's property to collect rubbish, except where people
need extra help because of ill health or age.
Cllr Gerry Curran, executive member for environment and
sustainability at the authority, said binbags on the streets
were nothing new.
"The changes to the edge of property collection have not
affected all residents, and all streets, including the Royal
Crescent, have had rubbish bags put out on them prior to the
changes.
"It is just that some people who had the luxury of a bag
storage area will not have it collected from that room -
instead they have to put it out themselves."
Readers Comments
Why not
compromise and follow the lead of Brighton & Hove? Wheelie
bins aren't suitable there accross the city centre and bin
bags causes problems with seagulls and rats. The council
provided 'binvelopes' - a collapsable, washable plastic type
container to put bin bags into. They also provide large 'biffa
bin' style bins in streets for residents use only. Rubbish
has to go somewhere - there's the alternative if you don't
like the look of binbags
Michael, Bristol
This is nothing new. We've had to put bin bags out for years
as BANES won't pay for an update to the refuse collection
fleet so they can take wheelie bins like every other
civilized city has in this country. What looks more ugly to
you - bin bags spilling out across the pavement after cats
and foxes have been at them, or a wheelie bin? According to
Banes Wheelie bins don't fit in with the Georgian look of
the city. Neither do ugly black bin bags.
Alison, Somerset
Oh purlease!!! So all the tourists are going to turn up on
the very morning of bin collection? Funny how this is the
same bunch of people that got the buses carrying the same
tourists banned from their street. Easy answer: move!
Steve Nightingale, Bath
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SO JUST HOW MANY REFUSE COLLECTORS HAVE BEEN INJURED?
LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE
11:15 - 23 June 2006
I have just submitted a formal request to B &NES under
the Freedom of Information Act for the following.
It is being suggested that one of the reasons for the
stupid decisions relating to the collection of rubbish from
domestic premises in Bath is 'health and safety'. I do not
believe this decision can be justified in this way, so I am
making a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act
for the following information relating to accident reports
made by rubbish collectors and members of the public during
the past five years.
1. How many accidents have occurred to rubbish collectors
in the Bath area in the past five years?
2. How many of these accidents happened on domestic
premises (ie within the cartilage of a house or flats
building where we can no longer leave rubbish for
collection)?
3. How many of these accidents happened on the public
roadway?
4. How many of these accidents happened on public
footpaths?
5. How many of these accidents happened on access roads
to the rear of premises?
6. Of the accidents that happened on domestic premises,
how many were found, on formal investigation, to have been
avoidable simply by changing the place where the rubbish was
left to the footpath outside the premises. (This would not
include injuries such as strained backs that could just as
easily have occurred wherever the rubbish was picked up.)
Most of the information requested above can be easily
obtained from the accident report record which must be kept
by all employers under the provisions of the Health & Safety
at Work Act.
By simply covering up the column showing the names of the
injured parties and witnesses, and photocopying the pages,
the council could even provide the full details of the
accidents, their causes and the results of investigations,
without compromising the privacy of any of the refuse
collectors.
I would be content then to do the arithmetical analysis
to answer the above questions.
Just two more questions to clarify the reasons behind the
claim that health and safety rules are reasons for your
decisions.
7. How many accidents have occurred to members of the
public tripping over rubbish bags on the footpath?
8. How many complaints have been received in the past
five years concerning rubbish spilled from refuse sacks left
out overnight and damaged by animals or 'revellers'?
Again, the council should already have these figures
easily to hand, as any serious investigation into this
matter must have used this information as part of the
decision making process.
John Patrick
Baytree Road, Fairfield Park, Bath
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THERE IS STILL TIME TO GET RUBBISH DECISION DUMPED
Link to original Article
11:15 - 19 June 2006
The decision to change to front
threshold refuse collection is ridiculous.
Cllr Gerry Curran, Lib Dem Twerton, has already been "called
in" once to explain his actions by the scrutiny panel on
"the grounds that insufficient consideration has been given
to residents' views". Perhaps he should be called in again?
This decision has been made for budget reasons. It is
estimated £124k may be saved. Gerry Curran's allowance for
the year ended March 31 2005 was almost £28k. I suppose the
tax payers of Bath need to contribute even more to help with
the cost of the spa project. Yet another crack-pot idea gone
very badly wrong.
The call in process means that an executive decision, which
has been made but not yet implemented, can be scrutinised to
check that it was made following the correct evidence and
procedures.
The plans will now go ahead as previously agreed and refuse
will be collected from the edge of properties instead of, in
some cases, the back door.
However, the scrutiny panel did make the following
recommendations to the executive member, Cllr Gerry Curran.
1) That the executive member (Cllr Curran) keeps the matter
under review, and reports back to the scrutiny panel in six
months about the implementation of the decision, in relation
to improvements in the service and recycling, costs savings
achieved and resident's comments.
2) The executive member and officers engage with the public
and ward councillors in consultation processes to agree as
far as possible the most appropriate location for waste to
be placed for edge of property collections.
3) That the phrase "edge of property" be clearly defined for
residents as being within the curtilege of the property as
far as is possible, rather than kerbside or on the highways
or footpath.
4) That the option to apply for and receive assisted
collection is widely publicised.
5) That all council methods of communication are used to the
fullest to explain this process, and its part within the
larger waste strategy for the area.
May I ask a sensible member of the council to explain if
this "trial" ruling means the front threshold of properties
only or, as I understand the reading of council minutes,
edge of property, back or front as long as there is clear
access for a dust cart?
May I also ask a sensible member of the council to tell the
above mentioned councillor to stop dreaming up rubbish
ideas.
There is still chance to change this bad decision. If you
wish to, write to: Overview and Scrutiny Team, Edge of
Property Refuse Collection, The Guildhall, Bath BA1 5AW. Or
email
scrutiny@bathnes.gov.uk or your local councillor.
Mike Hare
Coronation Avenue, Bath
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