Tuesday 25 November 2008

FORTNIGHTLY BIN COLLECTIONS ON THE WAY

Well the trials have finally arrived. It seems that Meir Park and Bentilee have been chosen to trial the new fortnightly bin collections/enhanced recycling scheme being introduced by the City Council. See the Sentinel article by clicking here.

There are lots of comments on the Sentinel website, many are extremely positive, but many make the point that this appears to mean more work/burden for residents, and there is no detail about what will actually happen to the recyclable materials (although I only skimmed the Sentinel article quickly, so perhaps I missed something).

Now I am all for recycling, and can see the benefits. However, it does mean more work and for many people it will be a big change to their normal routine. I wonder how the City Council are going to engage people in the embedding process and get everyone on board with this initiative.

There are certainly downsides to fortnightly bin collections. I remember an article on GMTV in the summer (what summer?), where the residents of Oxford were complaining about the dreadful smell from their rubbish, towards the end of the fortnight, a few days before the collection date. There were problems with vermin etc, and this to me is harking back to Victorian times - something I am sure no one, particularly our Councillors, will want for this city.

How will the council ensure the system runs smoothly? A 6 week trial in Meir Park and Bentilee will hardly have had time to get started, let alone be long enough to iron out all the problems - half of the problems will probably not have even materialised in that time! Yet the plan is to roll out fortnightly bin collections and the enhanced recycling by summer, to all Stoke on Trent residents.

There is also a good point made on the Sentinel article, about how disabled residents are catered for - they will surely have even further difficulties getting the various bins out on the correct days. And as a busy person myself, I never know which day my bottle/paper collection is, and rely on seeing other people's boxes out, before I put mine out, otherwise I miss it!

I really hope the people of Stoke on Trent take this initiative to heart and efficient recycling becomes a major success across the city. However, I think fortnightly bin collections could bring more problems than solutions, and hope the council have plans in place to address issues, as they arise. I am sure they will say the trial is intended just for that purpose.
I look forward to celebrating a successful recycling project, after all, we are way behind in this particular issue. What do you all think?

67 comments:

Debbie said...

I have just read this story and will post some of my own observations.

Relatives of mine live in Stone and have had the 3 bin scheme for a couple of years. Blue bin for cans and plastic, brown bin for garden waste and green bin for general crap that cannot be recycled. The bins are emptied every friday (used to be every Monday) so one week they will empty the household waste the next week they will empty the recyclables. The company responsible is called Biffa. My relatives who are in favour of the recycling element say:

1 The general waste bin is ok fortnightly but there are only 2 adults in the house and families with children struggle because of course you are not allowed to put bags by the side of the bin.

2 The general waste bin gets a bit smelly in the summer.

3 There have been problems documented in local newspapers about the operators refusing to drive the recycling collection lorries up streets with parked cars in case they cannot turn round or get stuck. Unfortunately they do not inform anyone they just drive of so the home owners do not understand why their bins have not been emptied.

4 This last August Biffa decided to change the collection day from Monday to Friday which resulted in the general waste bin not being emptied for 4 WEEKS. It was a health hazard. Staffordshire council were inundated with phone calls so what they did to rectify the problem was to put an answerphone message on to say they were getting too many phone calls to answer them. Again this was well documented in the local press.

Finally as an example of the sort of clowns you are dealing with two weeks ago I was following a Biffa lorry up windmill hill at 0725 in the morning. The driver stopped in the MIDDLE of the roundabout at Meir Heath to empty the waste bins for the two house on the left rather than go a little further down Sandon road and make the binmen walk a little further. It caused absolute gridlock at a busy roundabout at one of the busiest times of the day.

If anyone from Biffa wishes to challenge this (I know it is sad), I have the film of it on my mobile phone.

nita said...

Debbie. My parents live in the Meir Heath area, and have been having fortnightly collections for the last 12 months, and they say it has worked for them. They have blue bin for cans and plastics, brown bin for garden waste, bin for papers, and the normal bin.

They say its no problem, as there is only two of them, and they don't have that much rubbish. It would probably be different for families, as they will obviously produce more rubbish.

I'm all for recyling, and will be interested to see how these trials go on Meir Park and Bentilee.

Many people would like to recycle more, but because of their busy lifestyles, they simply don't have the time to mess about, washing jars, cans etc etc.

Alison said...

Debbie, thanks for this valuable insight into this, from a neighbouring resident's viewpoint.

Let's hope Biffa doesn't get the Stoke on Trent contract eh? It sounds like they really either don't know what they are doing, or don't care about the customers.

I think your point about the change of collection day resulting in no collection for 4 weeks absolutely illustrates the point I made about harking back to Victorian times. This is something that really won't be acceptable, and I sympathise with your relatives regarding that experience.

As you say, your relatives are generally very supportive of the scheme, and I think most people in Stoke on Trent will be too. But it only takes one small problem and smelly bins/inconvenience to ruin the whole thing and people start becoming disillusioned.

Does anyone else have relatives in neighbouring areas who are already working similar schemes, and what experiences can you relate to us?

fendawg said...

I would also add that disabled people should have no problems as the system should be the same as it is now; you register your address with the Council at Cromer Road (can be done in about 90 seconds over the phone) and you don't have to leave your bin out - the collectors come and take it and put it back after.

It's worked for me ever since the introduction of wheelie-bins, and the two occasions when we had a different crew on our run and were missed, a phone call to Cromer Road had the collectors back within the hour.

warren said...

I have no problem with recyclying or indeed a fortnightly bin pick up. In fact I think the system they use in Stone is first rate, I have mates who live there and most of them think so to, only the one whinges and she dont like haveing three bins, but thats a woman for you.
To tell the truth after a good old recycel my bin goes out on a Tuesday morning about 1/4 full, so it would mean me getting another liy in, instead of geting up to put the bin out.
How in the hells name it can be a burden on residents is behound me. You would simpley put stuff in the right place when you were discarding it, cans in with cans, glass with glass, plastic with plastic, crap with crap and so on.
Thinking about it, Stoke on Trent would not be the same without someone crying there sack off about something, so just let them carry on. They will soon pull into line when at the hight of the Summer they have a overflowing bin full of crap and five days till pick up, althought we all know that some will be inclined to get up to a bit of fly tiping in the local laybys in the dead of night.
After saying all this I do admit that Debbie brings a good point up, there is only me and the wife, with my mates there is only one with kids still at home, and kids do make one hell of a amout of crap. Anyway never mind, I'm think it will all come out in the wash.
Good god Alison, you must be the first educated peson I have ever know to admit to watching GMTV, I just hope to god you dont stay on that dreadfull ITV1 thing after and watch that bloody Jeremy Kyle, if so there is no hope for you.

Anonymous said...

If all Asians were kicked out we wouldn't have so much rubbish. Get rid!
Tim Mullen if disabled people can have their bin picked up, emptied and then brought back, who fills the bin up in the first place. A swizz. No doubt you love Asians.

Anonymous said...

No BNP and proud, if we didn't have chav scum like you in places like Shabby Abbey, Bentilee, Chell Heath, Meir etc.. we wouldn't have so much rubbish, and that's just the people, we haven't even got to the litter yet. Leave the Asians alone, at least their women can behave unlike those from your neck of the woods, who should be branded with public health warnings for you know what!!!

warren said...

Oh! what the hell, is there something amiss in your haed BNP and proud, your insulting remarks have no way added to the debate, only made you look like a fool, and as Tory Boy says, a chav, belive you me, the lowest of the low. As for your remakes about the disabled, I will have you know that I am classed as disabled, I do work part time, I fill and indeed recyclel my own bin, take it to the pick up point on pick up day along with the elderly Asian cuppels I live next door to and another elderly cuppels bin who live the otherside of me, They bring it back to me after becouse they can manage emtey bins. Its called all getting along, something that you and your ilk dont understand. Go to hell, fool.

warren said...

And Tory Boy, not to happy with your remark about the young ladies of Meir, now I know they are dog ugly and indeed smell a bit ripe but to say they have STDs is not on. Will back you all the way in saying the girls of Abbey Hulton and Bentillee are puting it about, riddeled with it they are... we have a better class of slapper in the Meir, thank you very much.

Tideswellman said...

Interesting that the debate has moved from common sense solutions to name calling.

BNP and proud is showing the True colours of his party.

No wonder the areas of Stoke that have BNP councilors are so grotty. They are busy inspecting the bins of Asian people instead of coming up with workable solutions.

I think it needs a big push by governments to force people to recycle properly. Phase in a law that forces companies to use recyclable materials in their packaging by 2012.

Then ensure that the corresponding recycling bins are available to everyone. Create a proper awareness scheme to let people know how to recycle properly.

Create a three strikes and out system, for recycling so that those who blatantly abuse the system are fined or given community service assisting their community to recycle properly.

Anonymous said...

It's a fair point, remove immigrants and remove the rubbish in one go!

Anonymous said...

Warren, did I actually say they had STDs? I think not, I said they carried health warnings which could mean many things. Please don't fall into the same trap as the BNP morons and interpret things that haven't actually been said, and lower yourself to their standard. I know you're better than that.

Anonymous said...

Which immigrants? The ones that have been here 1 generation, 2,3,4, or the ones that have been here 1500 years i.e. the English. Everyone on this island is an immigrant, just some are more generations removed than others - established historical fact. I vote we remove chavs so that those of us working aren't contributing to their dole, fags, booze and their underage daughters getting pregnant. Utter scum. I remember the good old days before nu-Labour when rags like the Mail and Express ranted on about these people and their drain on the economy. Bring back the Tories, hey presto the rags stop going on about immigrants and most people then ignore them being there. Huzzah!!

Anonymous said...

Oh, and then we can get on with the order of the day - chav bashing!!!

Ian Norris said...

We once had a beautiful Green Valley in Tunstall "Scotia Green Way" but Cllr Joy Garner saw to it being removed and replaced with Large Pollution Trapping Lagoons.

As for landfill what Percentage of Stoke on Trents Waste goes to Landfill?

What will be the economic effects of removing plastic from the calorific content from the incinerator waste to energy plant, and how long is left on the Cities Contract with the incinerator

terry turbo said...

Warren, don't fall for BNP and prouds statements, this man is an imposter hell bent on turning every debate into a BNP bashing forum using the race card.

Anonymous said...

But Terry, we are racist, it's in the manifesto, we want to disenfranchise blacks and Asians by reducing them from citizens to permanent guests and then offer them incentives to leave this country. Bit like what went on in Germany in the early 30s really. The only reason we don't bang on about it is because we're doing a fantastic job conning people into believing we are only trying to control new immigration. You really don't think people are going to buy what you've just said to Warren when all he has to do is look at our website.

Shaun Bennett said...

mewhat inevitable I think; many councils have been encouraged or coerced into going down this route whether the voters want it or not.

In fact, quite often the voters have said that they do NOT want it, and still politicians ignore them 'for their own good' of course. Most authorities that have trialled these fortnightly collections have been swept out of office at the subsequent elections. One thing you can say about this council administration however is that as the threat of near-certain defeat at the next elections already hangs over them, it won't really harm them to follow this unpopular course. Once again its just a case of 'we don't care what you think'.

Any local party with an ounce of commonsense would immediately pledge to end fortnightly bin collections if they had the chance to do so. But commonsense has never been a feature of our local political parties, so I'm not holding my breath.

Who's betting that the BNP and Independents take the opportunity to oppose this, and thus put themselves even more at the hearts of city voters?

Shaun Bennett said...

Sorry, my first word in that posting was 'somewhat'. I don't know where the S and o have gone???

Ian Norris said...

Shaun Bennett: Sorry but City Independents Challenge Fortnightly Collections and won few years back when it was first mentioned, Check the % that goes to landfill and then the cost Councill would have to pay if it fails to keep Waste to Energy Contract

Anonymous said...

We will have bins collected each week.

Anonymous said...

I know some of the Marxist PC do-gooders on here will attack me but I have to agree with BNP and Proud.
If all the Ethnics were kicked out, much less waste would be produced and we would be able to carry on having weekly collections.

Put the indigenous people first,Vote BNP and we will prosper!

Shaun Bennett said...

I think I will agree with other contributors in that BNP and proud, and now Lee are surely anti-BNP activists who are cynically attempting to turn every debate on this site into BNP bashing.

No one who is really a supporter of the BNP would openly spout the sort of disgraceful language and ideas we have seen on this site because that would damage their party image. Furthermore, no BNP party officer worth his salt would allow them to continue to do it. So I'm going to challenge 'BNP and Proud': You're a Labour party activist aren't you?!

Turning to the substantial point of the debate, I'm failing to see where Ian Norris stands on the question of fortnightly bin collections. Its probably all my own fault, and I apologise if I'm appearing thick, but as Ian has said the City Independents challenged this idea a few years back. Presumably, Ian is the same Ian Norris who was elected as an member of that group (and not just someone using his name)? Do you support it or oppose it?

My own view is that whilst of course we need to give more attention to recycling in principle, I'm not sure that that is the reason for this scheme, and I'm not convinced that fortnightly collections are necessary even if it WERE the reason for the scheme.

As I understand it, the binmen are still coming every week anyway but are only taking one of the bins every other week. Why can't they take both bins each week?

Or, why can't the waste be collected the same as at present and let the council sift through and split it down for recycling if it bothers them so much? Why do city council taxpayers have to lose out for their bright idea? Isn't it just an exercise in saving money?

How long before we move to the totally indefensible practice of charging for bin collections on a 'pay as you throw' scheme?

If fortnightly collections are so popular, why has almost every single council that has adopted them been heavily punished for doing so at the ballot box?

I'm not convinced that this has to be the ONLY way of improving recycling targets. I repeat, a sensible opposition party would be opposing this scheme. It will be very interesting to see who actually does.

Anonymous said...

Shaun, I can't speak for anyone else but I am a fully paid up member just speaking his mind.
Sorry if that shocks you but get used to it because we are going to clear all you left/liberal shower of shites out of Town Hall!

Anonymous said...

He might share their views but there is no Lee Sanders in the local BNP. This is a definite windup.

Anonymous said...

Have to agree with Tideswellman, it gets a little tedious that every debate about local issues gets dragged down to a debate about us and our race policies. Thats even now our own Craig has stopped posting so something is seriously amiss.

Anonymous said...

Why, have you checked the "list".
Unfortunatly for you and me the list is from last year and I joined this year so I am not on!

Anonymous said...

"No one who is really a supporter of the BNP would openly spout the sort of disgraceful language and ideas we have seen on this site because that would damage their party image. Furthermore, no BNP party officer worth his salt would allow them to continue to do it."

Er, Shaun, have you not read some of the postings by Craig Pond, the local Branch Secretary? They kind of destroy your idea.

Anonymous said...

I had been quite heartened to see that all the earlier (sensible) comments on this blog had at least read about the fortnightly recycling trial before commenting. What a pity some later contributors didn't.

Is it really that hard to understand that food waste will still be collected every week?

Sorry Shaun Bennett, but any group that campaigns against this measure just shows itself up to be reactionary and ignorant for not reading the proposals fully in the first place.

Personally, I welcome bigger recycling bins, and all year round collection of the brown bin (currently only collected for 8 months a year).

Anonymous said...

Craig Pond Stoke BNP Branch Secretary said:

"the majority of the blacks only seem interested in stabbing, drug dealing, or codging
treatment on the NHS for bloody AIDS!"

nita said...

The blue bin used by Staffordshire County Council, has plenty of space. There is a compartment for papers, the rest for plastic and cans.

Will we still be using the green box for bottles?

It would seem, that we would continue to get the normal grey bin emptied every week, as we do now, is this correct?

Im hoping that the trial goes well in Meir Park and Bentillee.

Ian Norris said...

Shaun: at the moment no one appear to be using my Name it is me Ian (Angry of Tunstall) I'm all for recylcing, and take all our plastics to Federation road at moment.

If as Joy Garner says all waste will be collected every week, from either Brown or Grey Bin then I can see little problem. Untill more details of what will be collected from brown bin then we have to have concerns.

Will Doggie Bags and Nappies be alowed in Brown bin or just potatoe peelings (which people really should eat for Vit C)

Of course th other issue is the Waste to Energy Plant Stoke Council went into partnership with, and any extra cost the Councill may incure, as well as Joy Garner Hype that Stoke use large landfill sites (which due to above we do not) then of course the Green Valley of Scotia she help to destryo on our door step forcing local to travel by Car to Wales.

Shaun Bennett said...

I agree that Craig Pond's comments have in the past been quite extreme. Its people like him who will ensure that the BNP never get beyond a few council seats, and for that we should welcome his input. If the BNP high command don't see that allowing people like that to put their party name to comments that make most right minded people recoil, then perhaps I am indeed overestimating them.

However, I can't remember Craig going as far as comments by BNP Nazi Boy, BNP and Proud and then supported by Lee. Their comments can't even be dressed up as being 'respectable' right wing rhetoric.

Ian, like me you seems to be saying that you are fully in favour of recycling but are not convinced by this scheme at the moment (if I've mis-read you, then please tell me). I have to say, having read what you have had to say earlier on this issue and also on the council budget debate, I am finding myself drawn towards the City Independent policies. WHY aren't my party nicking them?! Certainly, I'd think that there was room for agreement if certain people amongst the great and the good were prepared to pursue it.

Anonymous, I'm afraid I don't take seriously the opinions of people who are too ashamed to put their own name.

Anonymous said...

So by that logic Shaun anyone who doesn't sign their name isn't saying anything sensible? I get sick to the back teeth of people coming out with shite like this on internet forums. There is nothing hard or brave about signing your name in the comfort of your own home where most people probably wouldn't know who you were anyway. If you're the best the Tories have to offer.

Are you also some sort of apologist for Craig Pond? The comments by BNP Nazi Boy, Lee Sanders, and BNP forever are more than likely windups but everyone knows who Craig Pond is and that he is deadly serious.

Anonymous said...

Lee, the "list" contains members who joined as late as September this year.

fendawg said...

BNP and proud: the answer to your question is my 76 year old mother who is my full-time carer, who works a damn site harder than you ever have or ever will! And yes, I do love Asians - particularly the doctor that saved my life!

nicky said...

Surely I'm not being censored on this site now? It's either that or some wierd computer glitch. Perhaps it can't cope with me making a largely positive comment?

Sir Findo Gask said...

Just reading this in Damp Dublin.

I'm all for it, but the council need to make recycling more achievable for residents. Why do I need to go to Burslem to recycle cardboard?

All my glass, tin and plastic goes to Tesco at Meir in the new automated recycling centre. You will be able to gets clubcard points for recycling there soon. We put out less than 1 bag a week of stuff that we don't recycle I don't see the council giving us anything for the saving they make from 2 weekly collections or from the money they make from the tins..

Where am I going to store my bins? The only place I have access for my wheely bin(s) is in my garage which means I can't park my car in there...

My parents live in Manchester (Trafford) and they have 4 bins A normal grey one which is emptied every 2 weeks. A blue one for paper card etc emptied every 4 weeks. A green one for glass metal and plastic every 4 weeks and a brown one for garden rubbish which is every 4 weeks..

Anonymous said...

Shaun Bennett won't debate with me because I wish to remain anonymous.

Or is it because I pointed out he had obviously posted first and read the recycling detail later?

Anonymous said...

What's Shaun Bennet on about? I'm not a councillor but I am a member of the BNP and I'm on the list.
I want Asians out. Full stop.I couldn't care less whether you agree with me or the BNP becomes the green party.I'm out the moment it changes course.
As for Tim Mullin, do I take it that your mum is disabled then? Sorry if that is the case but I don't like con tricks.

Anonymous said...

Can't find anyone called BNP and proud on the list. Are you sure you're a member and not just some windup merchant. Experience on here and the Sentinel suggests that real BNP members use their real name. Why not change your name from "BNP And Proud" to "Pisstaker And Proud" or better still "Total Arsewipe And Proud".

Most of the comments on this forum have little to nothing to do with the actual debate and the forum has degenerated into yet another bunfight about the BNP coupled with the usual childish name calling. Now that Craig Pond has stopped posting I half expected this kind of behaviour to stop but it looks like we have other "BNP members" out there who are just as bad.

Waste disposal: in a nutshell glass, paper, tins and plastic should all be going to recycling once a fortnight. Everything else collected weekly.

Who in their right mind decided that the terraces which face straight into the street should have wheeliebins needs shooting. All these houses have back yards adjoining back alleys. They should have had old style dustbins and the collections taken from the back yard like alot of them used to.

The system at the moment means people have to keep moving their wheeliebins on the designated day to the designated spot, or leave them at the front of the house risking fines for obstructing the pavement. Do we pay council tax for this level of rigmerole?

The old style of bags at the front of the house was highly undesirable as alot of streets in the old terreced areas just looked like a tip but have the wheeliebins improved things?

Anonymous said...

Shaun, you say you don't think anything that Craig Pond has posted is as bad as BNP and proud or Lee Sanders have posted.

So I suppose you think this comment by him is perfectly fine:

"the majority of the blacks only seem interested in stabbing, drug dealing, or codging
treatment on the NHS for bloody AIDS!"

fendawg said...

BNP and proud - I understand that reading must be difficult for you so I'll try again; my mother is 76 years old, a diabetic with high blood pressure, and is my full-time carer. I have been confined to bed because of my disability for 13 years next week. Even you can work out the amount of care that she therefore has to give me.

But what does it matter whether she is disabled or not? The City Council helps people! In this instance by her not having to maul a heavy wheelie-bin up what is a very steep driveway to the pavement. If you think about this with the tiny fragment of a brain that you have, you may realise that this saves her from the possibility of injuring herself to the point where she could not look after me, and so saves the council money as they would have to either provide domicile carers or place me in residential care if my mother was unable to look after me.

But, I repeat my earlier question: what does it matter whether she is disabled or not?

warren said...

BNP and proud or BNP or not, you'er an idiot, stay off Tims back, we have a right to say what we feel as well as you.What you are saying round hear shows what you are, and if Tim won't say it I will, an uncareing twat. Terry, thanks for the heads up on this fool mate, got my eye on him now. Tory boy, I know mate, its a joke, could not resist it.

Ian Norris said...

Just read the Council wants to double the amount of waste being used for Waste to Energy, this will reguire a New Facility in the County either another Incinerator or perhaps a anaerobic digestion (biogas) station. The later seems more likely as kitchen waste will now be included as fit for the Brown Bin.

Anonymous said...

Tim, if you pay the council tax and you are on the bill, then fair enough,you geet your bin wheeled in and out if you are suffering a disability.
If your mum is an average 78 year old with high blood prssure, then I reckon all people of that age and symptom should have the same help.
Labour doesn't do help but somehow, you get it.
So explain.

Shaun Bennett said...

"So I suppose you think this comment by him is perfectly fine..."

No, you're trying to get me to say that for your own ends. What I am saying is that what Craig has said is quite clearly wrong and considered beyond the pale by most right-minded people (hence my amazment that the BNP havn't told him to stop it...although as he now seems to have stopped contributing mabye they have). However, it is not in the same league as the sort of comments we have heard from other posing as genuine BNP supporters.

So to some up for you: BOTH are wrong and bad, but some are more blatant than others.

BNP and proud, what on earth are you on about now? I have never once accused you of being a councillor!?

Martin, you're entitled to your opinion, and I'm entitled to mine. You can listen to the words of the faceless if you like, I won't and I don't apologise for that.

P.S. I notice that once again the debate has descended into pointless discussion of the BNP.

terry turbo said...

How is it that Stoke-on-Trent City Council pays Nottinghamshire City Council to take its rubbish, to feed our incinerator?
Where in the Audit report is the £10million made by the incinerator each year?
What happens to this money?
Questions, questions but no answers from the Council.

Anonymous said...

Lee Sanders, how come your not on this years list of BNP members?
BNP and proud I have the up to date list of all members in Newcastle, the Moorlands, and Stoke-on-Trent if your on it just print your membership number to prove it.

Anonymous said...

Shaun, it's believed Craig has stopped contributing because certain domestic matters require his attention.

Anonymous said...

Shaun, so you'd ignore sensible comment and suggestion just because it was anonymous? So because someone is faceless their comment is not valid. Bit childish if you ask me.

fendawg said...

BNP and proud, as I said before obviously reading isn't your strong point - I said my mother was 76, don't age her earlier than nature intended, and she pays the Council Tax!

As for Labour not helping anyone, perhaps you can explain then why my ex-BNP supporting neighbour also has help because of his age and infirmity, as does the senior citizen who lives directly opposite me who has a heart condition?

If you speak to an organisation such as North Staffs Pensioners Convention I suspect you will be surprised at the number of people who do receive this assistance!

Shaun Bennett said...

If they have a fair comment to make, then I'm sure other people with more guts will have already taken it up and made it.

But I certainlty won't accept criticism from the faceless brigade just because I have the guts to put my point of view.

If you think that that's childish, then guilty as charged your honour.

Anonymous said...

Grow up Shaun, you're like the kid who takes his football home because he doesn't win all the time. Utter wanker.

Joy Garner said...

Ian.

What the hell do you mean by this ?
"We once had a beautiful Green Valley in Tunstall "Scotia Green Way" but Cllr Joy Garner saw to it being removed and replaced with Large Pollution Trapping Lagoons."

If you mean that I have not opposed the very useful Tunstall Northern Distributer Road, then you are right.
Why should I object to what was mostly old overgrown industrial land including old rail tracks, from being made productive ?
You had many opportunities to stop this from happening from when you were a councillor(well before me), and after.
I know you delayed the road, costing the tax payer millions, but I still do not see how I planned this road when I was not elected until 2002 ?

Anyway - the facts on the Enhanced Recycling Scheme.

Waste in one form or another is collected every week.

Under this scheme, which is almost identical to the nationally recognised, award winning, popular with its residents - Staffs Moorlands programme, you will get one extra very large bright blue wheelie bin.

On the same day every week, say Monday, the grey bin goes the next week Monday all the recycling goes.

What in which bin ?

Grey bin.
Anything that can not be recycled and all food waste(if its the grey collecting week).

Brown Bin.
All garden waste, cardboard AND all food waste(the week the recycled collection goes). This will now be an all year round collected bin. It will also take meat and bone as we will be using an enclosed composter.

Green Box.
In plastic bags to keep clean and dry - clothes, textiles, newspapers, magazines, junkmail etc.

New Blue Bin.
Glass, tins, cans and PLASTICS.

The space we will not be using at the waste to energy plant, we will sell to local authorities, so they don't use tips either.

The reason foods and some dirty foils and some plastic going into the grey bin is not a problem, is that the calorific value of the waste has to be at above a minimum.

Staffs Moorlands has no problem with nappies, as by the time they hit the bin, they are already usually in 3 layers of plastic. But I have asked for the various green schemes to be promoted across the city.

There will be an optional work top peelings caddy in silver ( to match most small kitchen appliances).

Because we will no longer need to use hire vehicles and agency staff, we will save £1.1m which will mean less pressure on the other council departments or next years council tax rise.

The markets we will and are selling to are not the 'cardboard for China' ones.
We want clean paper as that goes back to make more newspapers.
We still see a profit or at worst a cost neutral budget.

By keeping it all as much as possible, in the city, we will make more jobs for Stoke.
For economies of scale, to keep the costs down we are working with other local councils.

And it will not be Biffa, not collecting from your homes.

Tim is right, the elderly and less able bodied have assistance, and terraced areas will be looked at differently.

Hope this helps to clear up any questions.

Joy...

Shaun Bennett said...

And just for our information, Cllr Garner, which bin will you be planting the bugs and spy devices in?

Ian Norris said...

Joy: yes kinda Hypocritical to say "I want my neice and nephews to see and enjoy green Welsh valleys, not land fill sites" when there was such on your doorstep, and you supported it, and SOS had still to give permission in 2002 so yes if you believed in Green Valleys you could have voiced your opinion.

See Google Earth for before and after Pics. and the £1.4M overspend was caused from Unexpected Mineshafts, just like Cultural Quarter.

As for allowing Animal Waste Too in the Brown Bin, does this mean a New BioGas facility in Stoffordshire, I believe that was an option for Chatterley Whitfield?

Ian Norris said...

Sorry Joy you probly dont know of the £1.4M from June 2007 as its still not been reported to Councillors by Officers. Another one for people to look up in the Audit see how that is being funded.

nita said...

Joy Garner. Thanks for all the information on the various bins, and what will go into them.

The bin for plastics, etc will be of great benefit, and will free up some space in the grey bin.

I am sure plenty of people will welcome this system.

Anonymous said...

In order of fantastic roads, the results is a sfollows:

A500
A50
Reginald Mitchell Way
Tunstall Norther Bypass.

Thank you for your participation in this survey.

Anonymous said...

I have one question about the A500 improvements at Stoke Rd/City Rd. What have they actually improved? OK, granted the A500 itself is free-flowing but the roads leading into it are just as clogged up at the rush hour as they were when the roundabouts were there. Why did they keep the old carriageway as a slip road between the 2 junctions? Why didn't they get rid of it and have separate sliproads at each junction? That way, we'd have no traffic crossing either junction to get to the other freeing up time for traffic coming on/off the A500 and traffic crossing over it. Who in their right mind designed this unholy shite.

nicky said...

I tried to post on this topic before but it swallowed my post and if it has regurgitated it somewhere else I have not found where. There is something a bit odd on the web. I had a problem one time where it posted the same post twice (I deleted the second), I noticed Terry had that one happen too. Better than not posting it at all though. (Typed it to Word first this time to be on the safe side.)

Joy, thank you for contributing the further information on this scheme, which I presume would come out in a leaflet when the scheme is introduced.

I for one am in favour of this extended kerb side recycling provision. The current cans and glass provision is not of great use to me as it takes me more than 6 months to fill that box. But if we can include plastics such as milk bottles that would be really helpful as we seem to get through at least 18 pints of milk a week in our family. We also generate a lot of paper waste, well not just ‘we’, much of it appears through the letter box and the majority goes straight into the recycling. I’ve never understood why fruit and veg peelings couldn’t go in the garden waste, so if they can now and cardboard too, that is a great help. In fact, once that’s done there will be virtually nothing left to go in the grey bin.

As far as it being more work for people, well I think it is insignificant. Believe me I have an extremely busy life and find it no problem. This will be a minor extension to existing recycling practice. Just have several bins and put the relevant items straight in. Easy apart from nagging the kids to get it right, but eventually they will for a quiet life.

One request though, could bin collectors please put the bins back by the side of the drive where they collected them from, not dump them in the middle of the drive so I have to cause congestion in the street when I can’t drive in when I come home from work. To be fair they’ve got a lot better over this lately compared with when we first got the bins, but they need to keep up the good practice.

Ian Norris said...

Gary Elsby: FANTASTIC roads?? whats so great they've had over £100million spent on them and ALL are still congested during Rush Hour, can you please Qualify exactly what Fantastic things have been achieved?

No wonder GOWM still want us to introduce Road Mangement Scheme (Congestion Charging).

Think what £100m could have done for a decent Tram System

Ian Norris said...

Nicky: I'm all for making it easier to recycle, but think we need more details to get the full Picture.

In 2000 67% was incinerated at the Hanford ‘Waste to Energy’. 12% went to land fill and 11% was recycled.

In 2008 we are told we recycle 30% but no reports if this reduced land fill or energy production.

The concill and county want to double waste to energy production, but not told how they will achieve this, the county are building a new incenerator in Cannock. will the city use thos or a new biogas station to recycle animal waste.

Yep Ive asked few times but not even Joy or Oracle appeaer to be able to answer.

nicky said...

Ian,

Yes I do agree with you that it is important to know how and if the recycling we are doing and planning is of benefit and what would bring most benefit in terms of managing this waste.

I had really only thought of it in terms of, assuming that it is beneficial to recycle the forms of waste as planned, then I think this is feasible and convenient enough for individual householders.

Anonymous said...

Ian, the tunstall northern bypass is a gem of a road but gets slightly jammed at peak times at the chell end but it has opened up the north of the city. An improvement would be to open up the closed road in the chatterley mine area.
The bypass does exactly what it is supposed to do and i no longer travel to tunstall for no reason and do not contribute in jamming it up unnecesary.

The A500 is the best ever and now the underpasses are in place i can travel from Tunstall to Longton via the Reginald Mitchell way and the fantastic A50 in less than 15 minutes.

Try as you might to criticise the road layout in these areas and I'm sure you'l find some problems but they actually work for most of the time.

Tunstall has been revolutionised because of the new road structure.

Ian Norris said...

Gary: If you mean Chatterley Road that has been re-opened, it some how jumped to top of Traffic Calming queue and had speed humps and zebra crossing installed so it could be re-opened again, can still take 15mins to get out of Asda.

Revolution in Tunstall? I've not seen anything new over last few months since TNB opened, except Regen of Chatterley Valley nxt to A500 and Churchill. But the New Developement in Sandyford off the Tunstall Northern have been refused as they were alleged to casue extra congestion.