Warning over road-end bin collection scheme

Councillor admits he is ‘very sceptical’ about plans

Concerns have been raised over plans for a“road-end” collection scheme which could be rolled out without weeks.

The Stirling Council proposal would see roads with 15 properties or less having to put their bins at the end of their street for collection.

But Councillor Martin Earl believes the move will cause “problems and resentment”, despite assurances from council officials.

The council agreed a “road end collections rollout” in February 2015 as part of its budgeting priorities, but delayed implementation until the first phase of the wider new waste collection system was put in place.

The road-end system is aimed at reducing the number of locations where waste collections are made on “unsuitable” roads, keeping the number of large 26 tonne vehicles travelling excessive distances to a minimum, and establishing safe, reliable collection points.

The service says new road end collection points will be incorporated into existing collection routes and a “communications strategy” is being developed to advise those affected.

Officials estimated that, of the routes likely to be affected by the change, up to 2445 properties out of 7505 would be impacted.

Around 79 hours would be saved by the collection service, bringing the current hours spent down to 130 from the current 209.

Of 3540 miles travelled in the affected areas at the moment, up to 563 miles could be saved.

At a recent meeting of the council’s environment and housing committee, senior environment manager Nicole Paterson said: “We did abandon the initial rollout because bigger changes were coming.

“The road end collection policy was a budgeting option and it provides the council with some £55,000 of savings.

“This may not seem a lot, however, currently the road ends are a significant drain on services because of smaller vehicles that have to service some of these properties and we have instances where vehicles are taking an hourlong trip to empty two bins. It will also help to protect our new vehicles.

“We must bear in mind that this is an alignment of what we do in Stirling and there are already many properties who choose to put in a road end collection request themselves.

“A significant amount of work and analysis is going into road end collection so we can create something that works for customers. The service has been through considerable change and we wouldn’t wish to create more anxiety. We want to get this as right as we can.”

Councillor Earl said, however: “We are talking private roads and areas of less than 15 houses. I don’t think it’s going to go well when we go out with this. When we try to introduce this policy I think we will hit problems. I can see it coming.”

He added, however: “I would like to put on record that every time I have had to raise an issue with the staff about waste collection they deal with it quickly, get back to people and get it sorted.

“I’m very impressed with their professional approach.”

Following the meeting he said: “The road end collections idea has already been tried in Balquhidder and it did not go well and I have always made my concerns known about this idea.

“I am very sceptical that it will work in practice without causing a lot of disruption. There may be a few cases where it is sensible and practical but putting in place a ‘one size’ policy for all locations with up to 15 properties is likely to create a lot of problems and resentment.

“A clear statement should be issued to reassure people that this will not be enacted as currently proposed.”

Theremaybeafew cases where it is sensible and practical but putting in place a ‘one size’ policy for all locations with up to 15 properties is likely to create a lotofproblemsand resentment