This is the time of year when Wards are asked to put together lists of roads they would like to be considered for Special Street rubbish collections. (where rubbish is put out on the street for collection).
For some years we have had a system where some wards get to nominate up to 31 "rounds" for collection and other wards as few a seven rounds.
Unfortunately for those with the small number of rounds, even the numbers of houses in those rounds has been dropped from 350 to 300.
I think it is now time for rate payers
across the city to be
treated fairly and all wards should be offered the same service. There will always be those wards where there may be more need for street collections because of the nature of the housing in that ward but this should be catered for by funding from other sources such as the Ward community chest for example.
In my view each ward should get at least 18 rounds which with
carefully planning should mean a street collection every second year. (extras should be paid for from another source)
The only saving grace at the moment for those residents who do not get a regular street wide rubbish collection is the free Bulky Waste collection service which is
excellent. However it is under threat every time the Council looks at it budget or so it seems. Should this collection service go , be reduced or made
chargeable it would be a
disgrace!
