‘Inexcusable’ bin collection war of words (From Wharfedale Observer)

‘Inexcusable’ bin collection war of words

11:00am Friday 31st August 2012 in Local news By Jim Jack

Residents in Otley have suffered more “inexcusable” problems with their green bin collections.

Leeds City Council had given assurances the recycled waste its crews failed to collect from Fairfax Flats on July 17 would be cleared.

But the council-owned flats, whose residents are mainly elderly, were missed again earlier this month.

That failure has been slammed by Councillor Ryk Downes (Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon), who had raised the previous missed collection with the local authority. He is also taking up the issue for residents at Victoria Court, whose green bins were left uncollected.

Coun Downes said: “These bins are the large bins and are used by all 18 apartments at Victoria Court.

“They are full at the moment, and there is no way they can wait for the next collection in 28 days.”

In a complaint to the council about Fairfax Flats, he wrote: “The service is becoming a laughing stock – promises of action mean nothing if they are not implemented.

“Having raised the issue once, I did not expect to be raising it the very next time. I would like a copy of the instructions that were given, when they were given, who is responsible for not collecting the refuse and what disciplinary measures are to be taken against those responsible for the inexcusable continued service failure.”

The council’s executive board member for environmental services, Councillor Mark Dobson, apologised to residents who had been inconvenienced.

“Unfortunately, this was due to a distribution error by a company we had employed, who failed to send the correct calendar information meaning that no collection was actually due on this specific day,” he said.

“This was dealt with in a day, including a personal visit from staff to the resident concerned. However, I find Coun Downes’ comments completely unacceptable. To call for disciplinary action of staff and to describe the department as a ‘laughing stock’, without full possession of the facts and to use such inflammatory language, leaves a lot to be desired.”