I received last week correspondence from Cllr Shirley Tomlinson in her capacity as cabinet member for bins amongst other things , telling me that I shall shortly be receiving wheeled bins, which I assume are the same as wheelie bins, but a bit more Classy.
As with much correspondence from local government, came a whole list of do's and don'ts and on the back was a picture of the bins giving dimensions, and tagged with more TDC authoritarian cods wallop about bin size apparently they'll be demanding all kinds of justification for a large bin, doctors notes and a letter from your mum most likely.
Part of the leaflet gives those sort of condescending answers to posed questions, well here are a selection of the questions and rather than just be a copy cat, I thought I'd have a go at seeing if I could get the answers right, without cheating.
Will the wheeled bins be big enough?
Yes because we say so
Why can't I put glass in my blue lidded recycling Bin?
Because that would be too easy, and were only doing the bare minimum recycling so as to conform with government regulations.
Will the council still provide recycling sites in car parks?
Yes we recognise the need for Thanet's binge drinkers to have somewhere to dispose of vast numbers of wine & beer bottles, also giving them the chance to acknowledge that they have a problem to passing motorists.
How can bulky waste (eg. Fridges, Cookers, Furniture) be disposed of?
Well you could take them to the dump at Manston Road, but as you will be driving a van you've borrowed from your brother in law, which we won't allow on the site, just dump your waste in a nearby country lane ( and just remember you'd be bloody unlucky if Bill Bryson* was spying on you).
What about smells and pests?
Don't worry because those who come up with these schemes, generally live in big houses out in the country or on the cliff tops, far enough from local oiks so as not to be a problem.
At no point do they seem to acknowledge or mention that they have legal duty to collect waste, as in this Sunday Times report, that details victory against local authority arrogance in which the local authority ombudsman for Congleton council, found them to be guilty of maladministration for not collecting all waste from local resident Roger Houlker.
*Instead of being head of CPRE Mr Bryson couldn't you bash out another of your excellent books!
As with much correspondence from local government, came a whole list of do's and don'ts and on the back was a picture of the bins giving dimensions, and tagged with more TDC authoritarian cods wallop about bin size apparently they'll be demanding all kinds of justification for a large bin, doctors notes and a letter from your mum most likely.
Part of the leaflet gives those sort of condescending answers to posed questions, well here are a selection of the questions and rather than just be a copy cat, I thought I'd have a go at seeing if I could get the answers right, without cheating.
Will the wheeled bins be big enough?
Yes because we say so
Why can't I put glass in my blue lidded recycling Bin?
Because that would be too easy, and were only doing the bare minimum recycling so as to conform with government regulations.
Will the council still provide recycling sites in car parks?
Yes we recognise the need for Thanet's binge drinkers to have somewhere to dispose of vast numbers of wine & beer bottles, also giving them the chance to acknowledge that they have a problem to passing motorists.
How can bulky waste (eg. Fridges, Cookers, Furniture) be disposed of?
Well you could take them to the dump at Manston Road, but as you will be driving a van you've borrowed from your brother in law, which we won't allow on the site, just dump your waste in a nearby country lane ( and just remember you'd be bloody unlucky if Bill Bryson* was spying on you).
What about smells and pests?
Don't worry because those who come up with these schemes, generally live in big houses out in the country or on the cliff tops, far enough from local oiks so as not to be a problem.
At no point do they seem to acknowledge or mention that they have legal duty to collect waste, as in this Sunday Times report, that details victory against local authority arrogance in which the local authority ombudsman for Congleton council, found them to be guilty of maladministration for not collecting all waste from local resident Roger Houlker.
I think if you make a prior urgent appointment that you will be using a hire van you can get on.
ReplyDeleteBut if you own your own van. Hard luck.
I am dealing with a tenant (pocketing the housing benefits and now therefore out of my property) who left a washing machine and fridge freezer fly tipped on the property together with the usual rubbish.
It cost me about a tenner to trace them. I have contacted them. They are either clearing the mess or getting it deposited at their current address. I am told that the girl's father will come up and clear the rubbish this weekend with his works van.
It costs me 49 pounds a tonne to tip general waste and individual fees for washing machines, VDUs tellies etc.
If I use a public tip for their waste what is it a twenty grand fine ?
It does make you feel like labelling all the rubbish with the fly tippers name and address and dumping it in a layby.
Those barriers at public tips are madness. Spains van hire told me that when they were introduced their one day hire market just shrank. All those responsible people who would have been tipping rubbish unable to get under the barrier with a hired Transit.
Now it appears that if you make an appointment you should be let in using a hire van.
Perhaps someone could try it and let your blog know.
Tony, reason you cannot place glass in the recycling is that our stuff goes to sa local firm, they cannot handle glass. If we wanted to do that it would have to go to essex. thus, no carbon saving, no brownie points from government. No local firms handle mixed glass and other waste
ReplyDeleteRick you go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on
ReplyDelete4:55 You have a point rick can be a tad exasperating still I tend to go on a bit myself
ReplyDeleteStill rick maybe you offer a summary of you comment at the top, then we would know whether to spend the 5 mins reading followed by 10 assimilating
You mark my words. There will be a joint waste service in East Kent in the next few years. Advanced talks have already taken place between the 4 councils.
ReplyDeleteEnvironmentalists said at the beginning that the Land Fill Tax would result in rubbish being chucked everywhere and so it is...
ReplyDeleteBTW, what binge drinkers leave bottles and cans in a bin??! They are chucked,over the cliff, in the hedge, in people's gardens,in the road,anywhere BUT in the bin.
They seem to have forgotten to address the health issues that come from allowing flies and bactiria 14 days to breed in the nice hot sun before the poor souls (who should demand a pay rise on principle) then have to handle. Can you say risky job!
ReplyDeleteMy friend in ramsgate is going to get 2 wheelie bins plonked in her tiny front garden.When she objected to this (she recycles almost everything and only has a tiny bag of rubbish each week)she was informed she must have them.She pointed out she had spent tears of hard work creating a beautiful little garden and bird boxes and the bins would ruin all this-was told she would have to get rid of said garden!She is fuming,what right have the council got to roughshod over people and turn small streets into plastic bins streets,but as some one quite right pointed out most of the council officers live out in the country or pegwell...
ReplyDeleteThat should have been years-not tears-but maybe tears now..
ReplyDelete