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Joe Bamford Saturday, June 20, 2009 10:42	Fortnightly Bin Collections How many people are aware of the meeting in Skipton next Wednesday 24th June to discuss the Council's proposals to go over to fortnightly collections? It is at 7 pm in Skipton Town Hall, following a meeting that is being held in Settle on Monday. I have seen little publicity about this and this could be another 'Leeds City Region Growth Point Plan, being sneaked in via the back door.
Paul webmaster Saturday, June 20, 2009 11:32	It appears there's a new suit at CDC who previously rolled this out at another council. The following is from an article in the Daily Mail a couple of years ago. Several councils have already foisted this on the public: "Fortnightly rubbish collections are to be forced on millions of homeowners by a backdoor stealth campaign, it was revealed. Town hall chiefs have been told to go ahead with ending weekly visits by the binmen in winter - so that the cold weather will keep the smell down. The hope is that by the time people notice bad smells and vermin it will be too late to bring back once-a-week bin collections. Councils have also been told to bring in cutbacks in their refuse collections away from election times so that voters cannot interfere. The cynical instructions on how to use stealth tactics and steamroller opposition have been put out on behalf of Environment Secretary David Miliband. They come as councils are under heavy pressure from the Government to get rid of weekly rubbish collections and replace them with recycling schemes in which waste gets picked up only once a fortnight. Local authorities have been warned they can lose money or risk Whitehall interference if they refuse. In the guidance documents seen by the Daily Mail, councils have been told that a winter start to fortnightly collections will mean fewer smells and less trouble with vermin until summer comes. And by then, the guidance said, opposition to the cuts will have cooled. The advice deepened the row over Government plans to make householders reduce the amount of rubbish they leave out and to levy new taxes on wheelie bins. Eric Pickles, Tory local government spokesman, said: "I am gravely concerned that local councils across the country are being bullied by the Government into axing weekly rubbish collections, despite public opinion. "Are Labour hoping that by introducing these changes in the winter, people won't be as sensitive to the unpleasant odour of their bin bags hanging around?" Ministers say they need to end weekly rubbish collections in order to meet recycling targets and protect the environment by cutting the amount of rubbish sent to landfill sites. But the advice sent out on behalf of Mr Miliband by the Government's Waste and Resources Action Programme makes clear that in fact saving money on rubbish collection is a central reason why weekly collections are being ended. The greatest complaint among people faced with the axeing of weekly rubbish collections has been that leaving rubbish around the house for a fortnight creates smells and a health hazard. The official guidance circulated to councils said: "A common concern raised by residents is that alternate weekly collections will lead to bad smells and problems with vermin linked to refuse and/or food waster being stored for a longer period of time. "It is advisable to roll out the scheme in autumn, winter or early spring such that by the time warmer weather arrives, residents are used to the scheme and initial resistance has faded." The guidance instructs town hall officials to ensure that elected council members do not block fortnightly collections, referred to by the jargon 'AWCs'. Amid repeated warnings that public resistance should be minimised, the instructions said: "The timing of local elections may affect your thinking on when best to introduce the concept to members and to the public, and the proposed rollout schedule for the AWC." The guidance document added: "As an AWC is such a high profile change in service provision, a party in opposition can use the change for political gain. "This can cause unnecessary public opposition either in advance of, or following the introduction of, an AWC scheme. This risk should be identified at the outset and action taken to address it if necessary as soon as possible." WRAP, which has 200 staff and costs the taxpayer �80 million a year, was set up by Mr Miliband's Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to further "the Government's waste strategies across the United Kingdom." It works closely with Mr Miliband's civil servants. A spokesman said: "Our advice on implementing alternate weekly collections systems for household waste emphasises throughout that it is important that the public are fully involved and consulted by the local authority before any new service is introduced, and that the support of the public and councillors are obviously important when thinking of introducing a new service." Pressure to cut rubbish collections has been piled on by the Audit Commission, the Government body that inspects councils. The Commission has told councils that they should "explore the potential for reducing costs, such as alternate weekly collections." Failure to bring them in, the Commission has warned, will mean reduced quality ratings for councils which in turn mean less money from Government and more interference by Whitehall."
Joe Bamford Saturday, June 20, 2009 13:23	There are other implications as well. I first heard about this some weeks ago when the council first consulted with the workforce. I was told by one employee that if any of them were to mention what was being proposed to the public, they would be dismissed straight away. That's what I call 'Good' indistrial relations practise!
Liz K NODISC Tuesday, June 30, 2009 07:09	Whilst I think in principle the push on recycling is the right way to go, fortnightly collections are clearly not. We do recycle a lot of stuff, our bin is usually only half-full, if that, but there are only 2 of us. Maybe they should introduce half-size bins, which are still collected weekly. Same overall effect.....?
Camille Sutton-in-Craven Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:27	I really can't see what all the fuss is about. We are a family of four, we put the green bin out every fortnight, sometimes every three weeks.
Joe Bamford Wednesday, July 8, 2009 14:49	The 'Fuss' is about the council providing a service, providing value for money (Council Tax) but especially about maintaining a reasonably clean environment in the village and surrounding areas. Fortnightly collections will only add to the problems of waste being dumped in unauthorised areas and fly tipping, where people think they can get away with it. Have a drive around the surrounding area, particularly up on the parking space above Lothersdale, where all types of stuff is regularly dumped. You might be good at recycling and only put your bin out every few weeks, but for a very small minority that will never do and a small skip would not be sufficient.
Paul Wilkinson webmaster Wednesday, July 8, 2009 16:27	Mrs Housefly lays batches of up to 150 eggs at a time. After less than 24 hours the eggs hatch into maggots. The maggots eat for four days then pupate for a further four days before emerging as fully grown houseflies. Weekly collection ensures bins are emptied before this cycle completes, fortnightly collection doesn't. You can draw your own conclusions! I understand that several councils have reinstated weekly collections after jumping on the fortnightly collection band wagon (bin wagon?).
Camille Sutton-in-Craven Thursday, July 9, 2009 05:40	I can't see that it is an efficient use of Council Tax for the council to make double the number of necessary bin collections. I understood that the increase in fly-tipping is thought to be due to the 'white van' charges now in place at depots. Perhaps if the councils got rid of these then we would have less rubbish tipped in Lothersdale. There is always a small minority of people who refuse to comply with rules, but most of us do, most of the time. Thanks to the Webmaster for the info. re. houseflies. My bin has a lid, though, and even a really determined housefly would have a job getting in. There are loads of flies in our house in hot weather, driving me mad, but they never get in either the kitchen bin or the green bin, I'm too quick for them, you see.
John Sherburn Sutton-in-Craven Tuesday, November 17, 2009 01:23	I've just read the "Your Craven" newspaper - Special Refuse & Recycling Edition! As well as the fortnightly bin collections, we are going to get a blue open topped plastic bag for paper and cardboard collection! Yes, that's right "open topped"!! Well it never rains in Yorkshire does it? Give the guy who thought that one up a medal. Actually yes, we could give him a giant papier mache medal made out of all the sodden cardboard.
Joan M. Tindale Cowling Tuesday, November 17, 2009 14:48	Fold top over and secure with a stone. At present my parents have a large blue bin for paper which is only ever one quarter full, one such bin would be ok. for the 3 other neighbouring bungalows also. Another relative has no bins at all and doesn't want them- at end of long private road. If required think we can request larger green bins - did you attend your local meeting on this? Will see how it works out - some district cllrs. voted to try it for 3 months I think! Good idea. Warning: never had new car before, few weeks ago next door's bin blew on to car resulting in �195 damage! Nothing like this ever happened to old car.

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