Council admit error and apologise for failure to collect medical waste

The Council have admitted that they should have collected the medical waste put outside a property in the Holgate area last week.

They say that their records have now been updated.

They have also apologised for the delays in answering calls to the Councils switchboard.

We understand that they are experiencing unprecedented levels of complaints mostly arising out of the waste collection shambles.

Dlevene twitter 17th Sept 2013

Meanwhile Councillor Levene, who is responsible for waste collection, has “tweeted” to York Liberal Democrats claiming that the non collection of recycling on Chapelfields Road yesterday was “explained on the Council web site”.

In reality neither neither Chapelfields Road nor recycling is mentioned on the web site.

In a separate development, some residents trying to use the “report it on line” system to report a missed bin have not been able to do so. It appears that the database has not been updated for the new collection rounds.

This rather suggests that management simply don’t know what is happening on York’s waste collection rounds?

Both the Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council are understood to have in Belgium when the crisis peaked at the beginning of the week.

Bins emptying chaos continues into second week

The chaos on the bin emptying services continues for a second week.

Today the Council are admitting that dozens of more streets have not had their bins emptied.

They say that the following roads have been missed.

Rubbish collection (black bin) –

Dringhouses/Knavesmire area:

◦ Chalfonts

Un-emptied bins on Pulleyn Drive. 5:00pm 16th Sept 2013

Un-emptied bins on Pulleyn Drive. 5:00pm 16th Sept 2013


◦ Nelsons Lane

◦ Goodwood Grove

◦ Hob Moor Terrace

◦ Weddel Close

◦ Lingfield Crescent

◦ Pulleyn Drive

◦ White House Gardens

◦ White House Rise

◦ White House Dale

◦ St George’s Place

◦ Towton Avenue

◦ Moorgarth Avenue

Mount Pleasant Park area (Acaster Malbis) :

◦Lakeside
◦The Willows
◦Oak Avenue
◦The Crescent
◦The Close
◦Cundall Drive
◦Cherry Tree Drive
◦Beech Avenue
◦Lilac Avenue
◦Pleasant Avenue
◦Elm Avenue

The Council says that it will return to these properties to make collections by the end of the next working day. “Please ensure that your bin is out by 7am as the crews will be returning early in the morning”.

Allerton Park waste project deadline extended.

The York Council has today agreed to extend the deadline by which planning permission for the new waste disposal facility at Allerton Park must be achieved.

The agreement with the contractors AmeyCespa was due to expire today but a last ditch agreement has extended the agreement until at least the “Cabinet” meeting on 1st October.

Propsed waste disposal facility at Allerton park

Propsed waste disposal facility at Allerton park

The granting of planning permission had been held up following a move by a Parish Council which asked for a judicial review of the terms of the planning permission.

This is still being considered by the Court of Appeal

The North Yorkshire County Council also has to agree a way forward.

If the contract were terminated at this stage, then a payment of £3 million could be due to the contractor.

It is unclear why the York Council was forced into making a decision today with minimal notice. The terms of the contract have been known for over 2 years.

Friday 13th – Looking unlucky for York Council as problems with traffic congestion and un-emptied waste bins grow.

The Council’s web site crashed for a short time as problems with traffic congestion and un-emptied waste bins mount.

Click to update

Click to update

A combination of the Lendal Bridge closure, poor weather and high traffic volumes is causing mounting delays on the northern by pass and the inner ring road.

Further congestion is expected tomorrow as the City hosts the “skyride”.

Meanwhile the backlog in emptying waste bins shows little sign of subsiding. There is talk of working on Saturday to address the backlog but how residents will be made aware of such a decision remains a mystery.

The local media have been strangely reluctant to report the scale of the problem pausing only to remind residents to put their bin out by 0700 hours – pretty much futile if the bins aren’t cleared for over 24 hours.

The Council is now saying “ on Friday 13th September some properties in the following streets did not have their garden waste collected as scheduled:

Poppleton – Streets and all streets off

• Station Road
• Longridge Lane
• Black Dykes Lane
• Main Street
• Ebor Way
• Montague Road
• Millfield Lane
• Beech Grove
• Westfield Close
• Willow Croft
• Hodgeson Lane
• The Green

Clifton – Streets and all streets off• Shipton Road
• Malton Way
• Brompton Road
• Rawcliffe Lane (part)
• Surray Way
• Filingsdale Road
• Eastholme Drive
• Northolme Drive
• Southolme Drive
• Westholme Drive
• Grasmere Grove
• Borrowdale Drive
• Westmore Drive
• Alwyne Drive
• Alwyne Grove
• Westholme Drive
• Potterdale Drive

Rawcliffe – Streets and all streets off• Bowness Drive
• Furness Drive
• Howard Drive
• Troutsdale Avenue
• Stainsdale Close
• St Marks Grove
• Bilsdale Close
• Manor Park Road
• Manor Way
• Rawcliffe Croft
• Eva Avenue
• Manor Lane
• Cobham Way
• Armstrong Way
• Conningham Avenue
• Village Street

We will return to these properties to make collections on Saturday 14th September. Please ensure that your bin is out by 7am as the crews will be returning early in the morning.

Green bins in Strensall, Haxby and Wigginton not emptied

The chaos on bin emptying continued today with the Council admitting that green waste collections did not take place across large parts of Strensall, Haxby and Wigginton today.

Cllr Levene attempting to master a street sweeper. Coming to street near you? Probably not!

Cllr Levene attempting to master a street sweeper. Coming to street near you? Probably not!

It is the latest failure in an apparently unending saga of mistakes arising out of new bin emptying schedules.

Earlier in the week the Labour councillor responsible for the blunders (Cllr Levene) told people to “calm down”.

He told the media “Though the Council has written directly to the small number of properties that will see a significant change to their collections, there will inevitably be the odd issue to iron out when moving to a new system. We would ask residents to ensure they put their waste and recycling out before 7am on their collection days“.

Unfortunately many of the failures have been at properties where there was no planned change to the day of collection. So many did not receive a letter and the Council has effectively sought to bury the bad news deep in their web site

The failures were described as “bedding in” problems

Their web site says

Whilst the new collection rounds are settling down there will be instances when some properties are missed. We are sorry that on Thursday 12th September some properties in the following areas did not have their collection on the scheduled day:

• Rubbish collection (black bin) – None
• Garden waste (green bin):

◦WalmerCarr,Wigginton

◦WindsorDrive,Wigginton

◦OakenGrove,Wigginton

◦TheVillage,Wigginton,

◦MillLane,Wigginton

◦CornerClose,Wigginton,

◦HelmsleyGrove,Wigginton

◦StrensallPark,Strensall

◦AlexanderRoad,Strensall

◦YorkRoad,Strensall

◦BarleyRise,Strensall

◦PortishamPlace,Strensall

◦LongFurrow,Haxby

◦Mancroft,Haxby

◦Wheatfieldlane,Haxby

◦Greendyke,Haxby

◦LundClose,Wigginton

◦BellClose,Wigginton

◦StoopClose,Wigginton

◦ManorGarth,Wigginton

◦ForestClose,Wigginton

◦Middlebanks,Wigginton

◦PlantationWay,Wigginton

We will return to these properties to make collections by the end of the next working day

UPDATED Unemptied bins – Council response

UPDATE 1400 hours – Bins ARE now being emptied in Askham Lane, Chapelfields and Woodthorpe (which was also missed yesterday)

The Council web site now includes the following comment –

Waste Collection Services Update

A comprehensive review of waste collection rounds has been carried out and some service changes were implemented on 9th September 2013.

Our collection crews are working hard to ensure your waste is collected on the scheduled collection date. Please help us by ensuring your bin is presented before 7.00am on the date of collection.

Whilst the new collection rounds are settling down there will be instances when some properties are missed. We are sorry that on Wednesday 11th September some properties in the following areas did not have their collection on the scheduled day:

• Rubbish collection (black bin) – Acomb & Boroughbridge Road

• Garden waste (green bin) – Holgate & Acomb

We will return to these properties to make collections by the end of the next working day.

The Council have admitted that there are “bedding in” problems with the new refuse bins emptying arrangements.

Askham Lane - late Tuesday

Askham Lane – late Tuesday

That rather understates the issues faced by 100’s of residents who now don’t know when their bins will be emptied.

The Council web site was down yesterday and delays of around 5 minutes have been reported by residents trying to ring the Council help line.

Refuse collection in York falling further behind schedule

Let us know if your road is affected.

Council will have to give an explanation soon

Uncollected rubbish in Gale Lane Tuesday 10th September

Uncollected rubbish in Gale Lane Tuesday 10th September

Beckfield Lane recycling centre reopens for ……………1 day

Composting bins on sale on 13th October

Composting bins on sale on 13th October

Residents will be able to visit the site on 5th October to pick up a preordered composting bin.

York Rotters can help you get composting with free advice and this sale of compost bins and other composting equipment.

Limited unreserved stock will be available to purchase on the day.

To ensure availability pre-order your equipment here by 20th September and then collect from Beckfield Lane on 5th October (no delivery option available).

Bins are subsidised by City of York Council and their sales are limited to York residents only, two ‘dalek’ bins and one ‘metal’ bin per household

New bin emptying arrangements – first complaints of non collection. Public explanation and apology expected?

As we forecast on Friday, it looks like the new bin emptying schedules are proving to be a major challenge for the Council.

In parts of Copmanthorpe reports are coming in of un-emptied bins.

Disquiet on "twitter"

Disquiet on “twitter”

The complete list of affected properties can be viewed by clicking here. It is in alphabetical street order. These are the arrangements publicised by the Council. Hopefully they will issue a statement on Tuesday explaining what has gone wrong

Alternatively, you should also be able to check out the day that your next collection is due by entering your postcode at this web location Last week the Council issued a media release which quoted the wrong web link)