Just when you didn’t think that refuse collection could get any worse, the Council announced a few minutes ago, on their web site, that they will not be doing the “catch up” collections of recycling materials until NEXT TUESDAY in many streets.

Grey bin emptying is continuing on Friday and Saturday.

A full list of when homes, that did not get a rubbish collection on New Year’s Day, can now expect to get one can be found here:

http://www.york.gov.uk/content/45090/64365/Household_waste_-_collection/Revised_collection_list.pdf

It’s an update of a list that has been wrong before.

Levene – blamed for rubbish collection chaos

People having to wait for 3 weeks to have their bin emptied is unacceptable at the best of times, but over the Christmas period, when waste levels soar, it is shamefully inefficient. To delay recycling collections is foolish in the extreme. It has taken years to win public support for separate recycling collections – now some residents will be saying “why bother?”

Apparently officials are blaming absenteeism for the further delays.

In reality the decision by Cllr Levene ((01904 270068 Email: cllr.dlevene@york.gov.uk) not to collect on New Year’s Day is the source of the problem.

… and still no apology or even explanation has been issued by Levene or the Council’s public relations team.

The Council have now posted the following comment on their web site. http://www.york.gov.uk/environment/waste/household/collections/1January_waste_info/

“Due to operational issues there are some delays with Tuesday’s catch up as detailed on this page. Please leave your waste out for collection until it gets collected, this may include Saturday 5 January”.

So basically refuse may be on the streets for another 2 days – making 18 days between collections.

……and still no formal explanation or apology from anyone at the Council, while the media remain strangely muted on the escalating problems.

We suggest that people telephone Cllr Levene (01904 270068 Email: cllr.dlevene@york.gov.uk) who is reponsible for the shambles if they have particular problems

Possible explanation for delays?

Bins in Foxwood

With some households having waited now for over 16 days for a collection of refuse, residents are expressing anger at lack of action, or even communication, from the Council about the progress that they are making.

Hundreds of homes in the west of York were due to have “catch up” collections today (Thursday) but there are no signs of these starting.

It is unfortunate to say the least that this problem has arisen at the time of year when households traditionally generate the largest volumes of both waste and recyclable items.

Bus operators including First, Arriva, Coastliner and EYMS are supporting the national scheme called Bus for Jobs by offering jobseekers free journeys for a month.

Jobseekers are being granted free bus travel in York throughout January in a new bid to help more people find employment in the New Year. http://www.busforus.co.uk/busforjobs

Jobseekers that have been unemployed between three months and one year will be eligible for the Bus for Jobs scheme, with a valid JobCentre Plus Travel Discount Card, although the scheme is particularly targeted at young people for whom unemployment rates remain high.

This initiative is known as Bus for Jobs and is open to those aged 18 years or more who have been unemployed for between three months and less than one year.

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Service 20: Askham Bar – Acomb – Poppleton – Clifton Moor – Monks Cross – University of York

The route between Askham Bar and Acomb been revised to run via Chaloner’s Road and Gale Lane. Knapton Village will no longer be served.

In Poppleton the route has been revised to run via Station Road, Long Ridge Lane and Millfield Lane – Main Street will no longer be served.

The section of route between Heslington Hall and Fulford has been withdrawn

Service 11: Bishopthorpe – City Centre

This new SUNDAY service replaces service 112 between Bishopthorpe and York City Centre.

In the City Centre it will run in a loop via Clifford Street, Rougier Street and the Rail Station – passengers may get on or off the bus at any point on the loop.

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North Yorkshire Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following roads between Thursday 3 January and Tuesday 8 January 2013.

•A64 east-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster

•A64 west-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster

•Temple Lane, Copmanthorpe, York

•A1036 Tadcaster Road, Acomb, York

•Strensall Road, Huntington, York

•A1237 Monks Cross, York

•The Village, Stockton On Forest, York

•A1036 Malton Road, York

•A1237 Monks Cross, York

•York Road, Haxby, York

•A1237 Monks Cross, York
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The Council’s decision not to collect refuse on New Year’s Day appears to have backfired. Although there was some publicity for the alternative collection days on this web site many residents were simply not told about the changes.

Bin bags stacked in Gale Lane

The Council relied on a leaflet issued about 5 weeks ago. Unfortunately the leaflet told residents, who were due to have a New Years Day collection, that they should leave their bins out until they were emptied later in the week.

The Council later seemed to realise that this would lead to problems with litter drift, and untidy appearance and inconvenience for residents.

It was also contrary to the advice given to householders more generally that bins should not be put out before collection day because of issues with vermin.

At the Council meeting in December the responsible Labour Councillor (“leftie” Levene) promised in response to a question that “These (alternative collection) plans will be widely publicised ahead of collections and will indicate exactly which day residents can expect to have their waste collected. We will be widely advertising the collection arrangements in the press and on our website. In addition, information will be shown in libraries, council offices, Parish Councils and notice boards”. None of these appear to have happened although there was list published on the Council’s web site together with a “post code checker”.

The post code checker wasn’t working on Wednesday.

The closure of the Beckfield Lane recycling centre has also added to the shambles with bottle banks across the west of York full to overflowing.

Next year the Council should revert to its normal policy of treating New Years Day as a normal collection day.

Bottle banks full and overflowing