Bin boss sorry after hundreds complain about changes to collections in Exeter
HUNDREDS of residents have made complaints about changes being made to bin collections, prompting an apology from council chiefs.
In the past few days, letters have gone out to 14,000 households which are due to be changing from weekly to fortnightly collections.
-
But in many instances, the letters contain the wrong details for particular streets and cleansing chiefs have confirmed to the Echo that in some cases, they will now have to "think again".
Mike Trim, the city's head of cleansing services, said: "We are the first to hold our hands up and say that errors have been made.
"Mistakes were made, both because of human error and because at some point over the past ten years, wrong information has been put on to our computer systems.
"This is why letters were sent out now, although the system is not changing until September 20, so that any errors can be picked up and put right."
Joan Macnamara, a pensioner living in Polsloe, has always had her bins collected from the rear of her property.
However, the letter she and her husband received from the council said that her collection would "continue to be from the front of the property".
Mrs Macnamara said: "Our collection has never been from the front and we don't want it to change.
"The seagulls rip the bags open and all sorts of things get strewn across the alley.
"It would be worse at the front — for children walking to school and mothers with pushchairs. We want the front of our properties looking nice — we don't want to see bins and rubbish all the time."
Mr Trim said: "The aim of changing the collections is to make it more efficient and cost effective. If the majority of a street is on a front collection with a few from the back, then all will change to a front collection.
"However, now that people have been contacting us with problems, we will be looking at some areas again and where obvious mistakes have been made, we will be contacting these residents again."
"People should not contact us about the change to a fortnightly collection because that is set in stone.
"Also, some residents should wait before contacting us so that they can receive their letter. Some have been contacting us because they have read there will be changes to the collections but if they had waited for their letter, they would have seen that in their particular case, it would not be changing.
"Contacting us electronically will help as it will not clog up the phone system, which leads to people becoming frustrated, and also written information will assist managers to reassess the situation where real issues are identified by residents."
The cost of mailing the first batch of 14,000 letters and the 51,000 bin collection calendars which are still to go out is £12,800.
Mr Trim said: "The new calendars have been designed so they run for 18 months, so will save us money as we send out a new calendar to all households each year anyway."
The cost of sending out a second letter to residents about mistakes would be minimal: "It will just be the cost of a sheet of paper, the envelope and postage although we may get our enforcement officers to deliver some of them by hand when they are in those areas."
In addition to the change from weekly to bi-weekly, all bin collection routes across the city will be changing.
Mr Trim said: "We are starting with a blank piece of paper for 51,000 households. It will take at least three months to bed in and we appreciate the efforts of citizens who are helping us to correct our records. The short-term teething pains will eventually result in a far better service for residents."
The cleansing department can be e-mailed on cleansing@exeter.gov.uk
22 Comments
View all
by Becks, Devon
Monday, July 26 2010, 4:09PM
“Dear "Hotair balloon" just to let you know I am a child bearer so you probably won't want to waste your time reading my comments!
Firstly it is not too bad having fortnightly collections as long as you wrap perishables.
Secondly Mr Trims' comment...(The cost of sending out a second letter to residents about mistakes would be minimal: "It will just be the cost of a sheet of paper, the envelope and postage ") If just one letter fine but its hundreds that were sent out wrongly sent! I don't suppose if you add up both resources and staff time the amount incurred would seem "minimal to the average community tax payer .”
by Hotair balloon, Exeter
Monday, July 26 2010, 9:42AM
“If people didnt have children then this problem would go away in just one generation. I blame the child bearers.”
by The Nuclear Family, Exeter
Sunday, July 25 2010, 2:10PM
“Stoning? God no Brin, that would be far too good for many of the sub-class present in Exeter.
Whatever happened to those column inches in the Echo devoted to naming the shaming of folk who appeared in court?
My guess is that some parts of Exeter are more akin to the Bronx and that there just wouldn't be enough column inches available - not that there's ever much news in there!
I don't think flytipping will be your problem - its the secret R Whites lemoande drinkers you have got to watch, who sneak downstairs at night and swap a couple of bags with the next door neighbours ;)
No, unfortunately despite the best intentions of our local authorities to waste less and recycle more, it is an exercise in futility when faced with someone who just cannot be bothered.”
by nathan, exeter
Sunday, July 25 2010, 8:03AM
“stop your moaning people.
We've always had fortnightly collections. The only time we struggle is at Xmas, but the bin-men are very leniant.
We use the recycling bin a lot more than our general waste bin. We e-mailed the council and they sent us out an additional green bin, great. We use about 1.5 recycling bins a fortnight and our general rubbish bin is only half full.
Simple, but it's not for you who want to throw everything away without caring! Lazy people...”
by brin, Exeter
Sunday, July 25 2010, 7:18AM
“" just as long as when they fail to cover those services properly themselves, they are fined heavily and publicly humiliated." Says the Nuclear family, can you see what people like nowadays (especially in Exeter) is to be able to look down on others for not doing "the right thing", according to them! Publicly humiliated indeed!
The only issue here is that there will be a reduction in service and the potential problems it could bring, the simple fact remains that many people are struggling financially and I worry it will lead to a rather large increase in illegal flytipping.
Public humiliation went out years ago, what do you propose, out of interest? There is a lot of publicity surrounding stoning at present, perhaps that would satisfy your perverse minds eh Nukes?”
by Michael, Exeter
Saturday, July 24 2010, 9:54PM
“Where i live there is no where near enough space for the sorted and cleaned stuff for recycling, so it just goes in the landfill bins. In years to come we will all see sense and just incinerate everything and every home will have a micro incinerator in their kitchen. Think of the money saved by not needing weekly bin collections and landfill sites.”
by peter, Exeter
Saturday, July 24 2010, 8:21PM
“One other thing is that i quite often have to compress the contents of my recycle bin by stamping on it whilst in the bin. I would imagine this is far beyond most people because of poor bodily condition, but being fit healthy & creative at 45 then its quite easy. I would therefor suggest if you are high users of recycle waste then you crush each item before it goes into the first bin as its easier to deal with one plastic bottle rather than 20. I have 2 bins in my kitchen, one for each of the 2 outside ones with a box for glass items seperate. Its very workable if you want to do it, but easy to moan if you dont”
by peter, Exeter
Saturday, July 24 2010, 8:05PM
“Im 45 & ever since i was 16 (or maybe earlier) i have always managed to find a valid excuse for something i cant be bothered to do, or for not doing something i was supposed to do. This doesnt make it right, but does allow me to laugh at at those of you doing the same thing. Anyone doing so is lazy & if you can live with that label then i feel sorry for you as you have no pride. If you have a problem, then it needs to be overcome & can be overcome, with a little effort so rather than make excuses get on with it & find a solution that works.”
by J.R., Exeter
Saturday, July 24 2010, 7:40PM
“When we moved into our council house we had five bins brown,green,black,and two smaller square ones for glass ,and the other was for papers card etc,since recycling has been in force we have washed every thing that was dirty for green bin and so on for the others, when the square one for glass was full i rang to ask when do you collect that one oh we dont collect those you have to take them to the bottle bank but its full i said and i havent a car ,oh well just throw them in the black bin i was so angry as i had washed everything out .so whats the use in trying to do right?.”
by sarah, exeter
Saturday, July 24 2010, 7:27PM
“what worries me is that i recycle very well and fill up both my large green bins in a fortnight but sometimes my black bin is fuller than other weeks and if they won't take the extra, will this not lead to people who barely recycle just dumping their rubbish everywhere/anywhere?i realise people should recycle but not everyone where i live do.I just think the alley at the back of my house will now become more of a dumping ground than it already is :(”