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Susan Emmott
Susan Emmott

Thanks Brenda

Posted By: Susan Emmott
Date Posted: 18/07/2007

Hmmmmm. I sort of guessed that my last diary entry on fortnightly bin collections would stir up some comments. Right on cue, Brenda Kerslake didn’t disappoint. 

Oh Brenda! Wouldn’t you just love me to stop shouting about it? But I’ve got news for you – I won’t. Why should I, when week after week people stop me in the street to complain about your fortnightly bin collections? All I am doing is what I was elected to do: represent the people in my ward.

Besides, if I were the only councillor complaining about them, you might have a point. But councillors from all parties are now raising concerns about fortnightly collections, including your own group colleagues Peter Rush, Doreen Brophy-Lee and your ward colleague Jean Ashworth. Are you going to tell them to stop shouting about it?

The fact is that an important House of Commons Select Committee has slated fortnightly collections. This committee has MPs from all parties on it, including Liberal Democrats Martin Horwood and Dr. John Pugh. It has produced a completely non-biased and independent report.

There have been all sorts of mistakes, gaffes and complete cock-ups in imposing the scheme in Heywood. Bins left un-emptied, wrong leaflets and calendars delivered to scores of households.

The Pennines Pilot Scheme, lauded as a great success by some, has had an overspend of £109,000. If that’s a success, I don’t know what one is supposed to call a failure.

Councillor Jean Ashworth has criticised what she calls “the stink” from two weeks of food waste lying in bins. She is obviously voicing concerns expressed to her by the people she represents in Smallbridge & Firgrove Ward.

It is very easy to claim that fortnightly collections have increased recycling, but the ONLY reason recycling has increased is because residents have now been given the appropriate bins and bags with which to separate their waste. It is the separation of waste that has increased recycling and not the fortnightly collections. Fortnightly collections are just a ploy to cut costs and give people a reduced service.

Yes, the Council has been very shrewd in giving people better tools to recycle with and at the same time introducing fortnightly collections and then saying “Oh look, aren’t fortnightly collections wonderful, look at how much our recycling has gone up”. Clever that.

People like Brenda can carry on deluding themselves that fortnightly bin collections are popular, I will carry on being a voice for the majority that oppose them.

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