IT’S NEVER BIN WORSE
Record complaints over new waste system
Changes to the bin collection system have prompted the “largest number of complaints in the council’s history”.
Murdostoun independent councillor Robert McKendrick made the claim at a meeting of Coltness Community Council last week.
He said: “It’s the biggest number of complaints I’ve dealt with since I started with the council and it might be the biggest in their history.
“People have been ringing not just councillors but also the council’s switchboard.
“This has been a major exercise and there have been problems.”
Councillor McKendrick’s comments come just weeks after the SNP’s Cameron McManus claimed residents had been let down by the council over the bin changes.
Councillor McManus said: “I think recycling is a positive step and the right idea but the way North Lanarkshire Council has tackled it has been a disgrace.
“To make a mess of the collection as well as failing to deliver almost 9000 bins across North Lanarkshire is a terrible start.
“The council is letting down residents and it’s not fair.”
Since the new system was implemented at the start of the month, complaints from residents included not having bio-degradable food bags delivered, being unable to get specialist nappy bins and receiving red warning cards for small indiscretions on their bins.
Councillor McKendrick, who was first elected in 2007, added: “The implementation of the system got off to a bad start with some folk not receiving the first information leaflet in early September, others not receiving the second leaflet which included the calendar and of course the food bags and nappy bins weren’t delivered.
“This was followed by the ‘four bins in the same lorry’ not being serviced on the correct day.
“Then into the official start of the system we had bins, including medical bins, not being serviced on the correct day, long waiting times to get through to the council’s call centre and of course the dreaded red stickers.
“When you ask a community to help with a new bin system it’s not very clever to hand out red stickers for a first teeny wee petty foul.
“The red stickers should have been confiscated until such times as the correct bins were being emptied on the correct days and the food bags and the nappy bins were all in place.”
A council spokesperson said the local authority had dealt with over 16,000 requests for new or replacement bins since the start of September.
The spokesperson said: “The changes to our waste and recycling service are necessary to make the service more efficient and meet national recycling targets. This is a major exercise for the council, affecting 140,000 households across the area, and we appreciate residents may be frustrated by the delay with delivery of new bins and food waste bags.
“However, we are using all available resources to ensure these are delivered as quickly as possible.
“Approximately 5,000 bins have been delivered in the last two weeks, and we are continuing to use extra resources to deliver the remaining bins.
“Our customer contact centre has been extremely busy with calls and we have provided regular updates on the council’s website and social media channels to keep residents informed.
“We appreciate the patience of residents while the new service is implemented and apologise for the inconvenience caused.”
“School buses had to mount the pavement to eventually let the ambulance, which was on an emergency call, get to where it needed to be.”
The irresponsible parents were criticised by members of Newmains Community Council at their recent meeting.
Chairman John Harper described the double parking as “very irresponsible”.
In June, residents in Church Avenue hit out at parents who parked along their driveways as they take their youngsters to school and pointed out that a car park in the street was “barely used”.
The Scottish Ambulance Service this week confirmed the man who was waiting on the ambulance was recovering well after his health scare.
But the incident, on September 26, has highlighted the importance of ensuring emergency services are given priority on the roads.
A spokesperson said: “We always appreciate motorists allowing the best possible access to our vehicles because every minute counts in an emergency and we would ask the public to drive and park with consideration.”
A spokesman for North Lanarkshire Council said: “Unfortunately inconsiderate parking is something which happens at many of our schools at drop-off and pick-up times. That’s why we have many campaigns to encourage parents to park responsibly such as our Park and Stride campaign.
“Pupil safety is our top priority and this should be the case for everyone parking close to a school.
“This incident could have had a serious outcome and it should serve as a reminder to parents of the consequences their actions can have.
“We are once again appealing to parents to walk their children to and from school.
“However, where this isn’t possible, they should park well away from the school gates.”
We appreciate the patience of residents while the new service is implemented