Waste collection probe dumped until autumn

Conservatives’ attempt to start review now is beaten off

A full review of Stirling Council’s new waste collection service is unlikely to start for months.

Attempts by Tory councillors to start the process immediately were thwarted at a full meeting of the council on Thursday. A a decision was eventually taken to first consider a report at the next meeting of the environment and housing committee - not due until September 14.

While councillors from all parties thanked former environment and housing convener Danny Gibson and waste team officers for their “considerable efforts” in implementing the new system - launched at the end of last year - the timing of a review aimed at ironing out remaining issues across the council area was a bone of contention.

Tory councillor Douglas Dodds said he had attended two community council meetings in the last month, at Dunblane and Bridge of Allan, where the issue of waste collection had been a topic of discussion. There are a number of issues such as blue boxes left in the street unemptied. “We feel a full review is needed,” he addd.

Environment convener Jim Thomson said while meetings had already taken place with waste services bosses, the administration did not want to instruct officers to conduct a review until they could consider fully how the service was working and report to the next environment and housing committee in September.

He added: “Some community councils don’t meet during the summer months so we are missing a trick in getting the level of consultation required. I am not dismissing the view that we need a full review but I don’t feel it can meet the timeframe. We will make the officers aware of a range of issues.”

Councillor Gibson said: “I think we all know the challenges we have faced in the implementation of this. I probably know that more than most.

“One of the major issues was the delivery of new vehicles. In saying that, the service was fantastic at responding to the challenges they faced at that time. Noone is perfect but the teams did the best they could under difficult circumstances.

“One of the biggest challenges we have is in relation to the city centre and this will be the final piece of a big jigsaw that has not yet been started so we are not yet in a position to review it. There will be a further update to committee in September and a review carried out at the appropriate time. We will get there. It’s a process.”

Tory councillor Martin Earl said: “I’m disappointed by this.

“It smacks of it being kicked into the long grass and being overly bureaucratic.

“To say ‘we will get there’ is not good enough. We need to get a message out to communities that we will tackle this and get the ball rolling.

“We need to start taking information from communities so we can start to implement improvements as soon as possible.”

When the Tories failed to find support for their motion for a full review to be reported by October 1 they accepted the administration’s amendment for an initial report to be brought to the September committee saying “it is the best we are going to get”.

Officers said: “Members’ comments are noted.

“A report will be prepared providing detail of the changes to the waste service in the preceding 12 months, the progress in implementation of change, the benefits from change and a review of feedback from members of the public.

“The report can also consider what measures have been taken to address any issues which may have arisen.”