ABC Council needs to “get to grips” with missed bin collections as it is “overshadowing” the “excellent work” being done elsewhere, it has been claimed.
There has been ongoing and glowing praise for the efforts of the council’s environmental services team and in particular the ’Blitz Squad’, which has been cleaning and making a difference to various parts of the borough.
The March environmental committee meeting heard of plans to double the size of the Blitz Squad.
And the April meeting has just been given an update on street cleansing services and a review which is also looking at partnership working with the Department for Infrastructure and others, as well as education and enforcement.
Collectively, all councillors have praised what is being done and feel there is much cause to celebrate.
But the issue of bin collections – or rather missed bin collections – has proven to be an unwelcome name on the guest list.
DUP Alderman Margaret Tinsley hailed the “excellent work” which was being done.
But she hoped it wasn’t a case where, as far as staffing was concerned, Peter was being robbed to pay Paul!
Alderman Tinsley said: “Last week I was inundated – as I am sure many from the Craigavon area were – with missed bins. We had the missed bins of the green bin and the brown bin and that went on for several days.
“This excellent work that’s being done is being overshadowed then, when people are not getting their bins lifted. I was being told about three different reasons as to why it was happening. The main thing was about staff and I just hope that we’re not losing staff within the bin collection to the Blitz team.
“And whatever it is that’s holding up the staff getting appointed, if it’s this 12 point plan that HR need that’s holding it all back, we need to get that reviewed as quickly as possible and get the team up to speed, because the brown bin now is coming into the season where it can’t afford to be missed.
“I detest going on to the Carn depot to complain and to say because it’s not fair, as the team do an excellent job and all I ever do is seem to go on when it’s negativity. So I want to congratulate all the great work that’s being done but, at the same time, we need to get to grips with the bin collections that are oftentimes being missed.”
Alderman Paul Greenfield was prompted to raise his own concerns after his party colleague’s lament.
He pinpointed issues in areas of Banbridge, such as the Castlewellan Road, explaining: “I think in eight or nine weeks their brown bin was lifted once. We had a broken down lorry, we had staff problems.”
And Alderman Greenfield added: “I know we’ve been back and forward and heard all the different reasons, but it’s just something that we need to be aware of.”
Sinn Fein Councillor Mary O’Dowd flagged an issue of bins not being lifted but, on this occasion, said it was not the fault of the staff.
She also praised the “fantastic work throughout the whole department” but said there were issues with access for bin lorries in her area.
“I totally understand this is not the council’s problem. This is a problem within certain areas with parking and things like that,” said Councillor O’Dowd.
“We have tried to address it numerous times but people just don’t listen. They understand when the bins are being collected and all the rest. Still not happening. We would need to look and see is there anything else, because the residents that have theirs out that don’t have cars, or they do have cars but park properly, are missing out on getting their bins collected which is then leading to flytipping in certain areas.
“If there’s anything we can look at or do it would be very much appreciated.”
Lisa Doherty, head of environmental services, said as part of reviews they would be looking to ensure services are “stand alone”, and “trying to build in resilience within these reviews, within refuse collection, within the Blitz team, and within street cleansing”.
“That’s something that we hope to have at the very end of this then as well, that they won’t be pulled from service to service,” added Ms Doherty.
In terms of access issues for lorries in some areas, this too was something they were trying to address.
“We have done some leafet drops within those areas and we will look to do further leafet drops and possibly door-knocking within those areas with our recycling inspectors, to try and make sure that we can get parked cars moved out of the way then to be able to give access to the lorries at the time,” said Ms Doherty.
“We’re looking at all of these different things and I can feed back on progress on those too.”
