Some council taxpayers in the East Riding of Yorkshire are being forced to take part in a fortnightly rubbish collection trial. The council says this is to encourage recycling and it is what residents want, but when you delve deeper into the subject, all is not what the council wants us to believe.
According to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) residents have requested a fortnightly collection for their blue recycling bins. Currently, they are emptied once a month. To accommodate those requests, the council proposes to introduce fortnightly collections of non-recyclable waste.
Whenever there is a controversial decision to be defended, elected councillors in ERYC seem to disappear and let officers deal with the media. This issue is no exception. The council fielded the Head of Streetscene Services, John Skidmore, who said:
Catching his breath, he went on to say:
Despite the spin, I have not watched, listened to, or read a report that has said residents have requested fortnightly non-recyclable rubbish collections. In neighbouring Hull, there is still a weekly bin collection, and recyclable waste is collected every two weeks. This has been happening for a couple of years. A residents' survey was conducted, and although people were happy their blue bins were collected more frequently, there was not an appetite to reduce the service in other areas.
ERYC is trying to present itself as a listening council, which is laughable based on previous form, however it is playing fast and loose with the facts. If other councils can collect recyclable waste every two weeks and still empty normal rubbish bins every week, why can't ERYC?
Once again we see a basic service being eroded by a council that awards large discretionary payments to senior officers' pension pots, has just increased car parking charges, and wants to introduce parking charges in some of the smaller towns and villages. Many residents in the East Riding don't feel they get value for money from the council. With this decision, more will be thinking the same.Some council taxpayers in the East Riding of Yorkshire are being forced to take part in a fortnightly rubbish collection trial. The council says this is to encourage recycling and it is what residents want, but when you delve deeper into the subject, all is not what the council wants us to believe.
According to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) residents have requested a fortnightly collection for their blue recycling bins. Currently, they are emptied once a month. To accommodate those requests, the council proposes to introduce fortnightly collections of non-recyclable waste.
Whenever there is a controversial decision to be defended, elected councillors in ERYC seem to disappear and let officers deal with the media. This issue is no exception. The council fielded the Head of Streetscene Services, John Skidmore, who said:
Catching his breath, he went on to say:
Despite the spin, I have not watched, listened to, or read a report that has said residents have requested fortnightly non-recyclable rubbish collections. In neighbouring Hull, there is still a weekly bin collection, and recyclable waste is collected every two weeks. This has been happening for a couple of years. A residents' survey was conducted, and although people were happy their blue bins were collected more frequently, there was not an appetite to reduce the service in other areas.
ERYC is trying to present itself as a listening council, which is laughable based on previous form, however it is playing fast and loose with the facts. If other councils can collect recyclable waste every two weeks and still empty normal rubbish bins every week, why can't ERYC?
Once again we see a basic service being eroded by a council that awards large discretionary payments to senior officers' pension pots, has just increased car parking charges, and wants to introduce parking charges in some of the smaller towns and villages. Many residents in the East Riding don't feel they get value for money from the council. With this decision, more will be thinking the same.
According to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) residents have requested a fortnightly collection for their blue recycling bins. Currently, they are emptied once a month. To accommodate those requests, the council proposes to introduce fortnightly collections of non-recyclable waste.
Whenever there is a controversial decision to be defended, elected councillors in ERYC seem to disappear and let officers deal with the media. This issue is no exception. The council fielded the Head of Streetscene Services, John Skidmore, who said:
"We've had hundreds of requests from residents asking for a fortnightly blue bin collection, so this trial follows feedback. The council has been encouraging people to recycle more material through bigger blue bins to cut the amount of waste going to landfill. The fact residents want a fortnightly blue bin collection shows they are enthusiastic about recycling. It is fantastic news."
Catching his breath, he went on to say:
We have picked a variety of areas across the East Riding because residents throughout the county have wanted more blue bin collections. Less waste will mean less landfill tax, though this is about offering a quality service."
Despite the spin, I have not watched, listened to, or read a report that has said residents have requested fortnightly non-recyclable rubbish collections. In neighbouring Hull, there is still a weekly bin collection, and recyclable waste is collected every two weeks. This has been happening for a couple of years. A residents' survey was conducted, and although people were happy their blue bins were collected more frequently, there was not an appetite to reduce the service in other areas.
ERYC is trying to present itself as a listening council, which is laughable based on previous form, however it is playing fast and loose with the facts. If other councils can collect recyclable waste every two weeks and still empty normal rubbish bins every week, why can't ERYC?
Once again we see a basic service being eroded by a council that awards large discretionary payments to senior officers' pension pots, has just increased car parking charges, and wants to introduce parking charges in some of the smaller towns and villages. Many residents in the East Riding don't feel they get value for money from the council. With this decision, more will be thinking the same.Some council taxpayers in the East Riding of Yorkshire are being forced to take part in a fortnightly rubbish collection trial. The council says this is to encourage recycling and it is what residents want, but when you delve deeper into the subject, all is not what the council wants us to believe.
According to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) residents have requested a fortnightly collection for their blue recycling bins. Currently, they are emptied once a month. To accommodate those requests, the council proposes to introduce fortnightly collections of non-recyclable waste.
Whenever there is a controversial decision to be defended, elected councillors in ERYC seem to disappear and let officers deal with the media. This issue is no exception. The council fielded the Head of Streetscene Services, John Skidmore, who said:
"We've had hundreds of requests from residents asking for a fortnightly blue bin collection, so this trial follows feedback. The council has been encouraging people to recycle more material through bigger blue bins to cut the amount of waste going to landfill. The fact residents want a fortnightly blue bin collection shows they are enthusiastic about recycling. It is fantastic news."
Catching his breath, he went on to say:
We have picked a variety of areas across the East Riding because residents throughout the county have wanted more blue bin collections. Less waste will mean less landfill tax, though this is about offering a quality service."
Despite the spin, I have not watched, listened to, or read a report that has said residents have requested fortnightly non-recyclable rubbish collections. In neighbouring Hull, there is still a weekly bin collection, and recyclable waste is collected every two weeks. This has been happening for a couple of years. A residents' survey was conducted, and although people were happy their blue bins were collected more frequently, there was not an appetite to reduce the service in other areas.
ERYC is trying to present itself as a listening council, which is laughable based on previous form, however it is playing fast and loose with the facts. If other councils can collect recyclable waste every two weeks and still empty normal rubbish bins every week, why can't ERYC?
Once again we see a basic service being eroded by a council that awards large discretionary payments to senior officers' pension pots, has just increased car parking charges, and wants to introduce parking charges in some of the smaller towns and villages. Many residents in the East Riding don't feel they get value for money from the council. With this decision, more will be thinking the same.