Does Deersdyke Stink?

There is no doubt about it – the composting plant at Deersdyke is responsible for the noxious smell that has engulfed our community. This pungent smell is affecting local businesses and the residential community alike. We thought the disused sewage plant that occupied the site until 2003 was bad enough but over the past few months the smell from the Scottish Water plant at Deersdyke has become intolerable. In fact over the past couple, of months I have received several complaints from residents and businesses within the Westfield area asking what can be done. At times the smell is so bad that residents cannot hang out their clothes to dry or enjoy a family barbecue on the rare days when the sun decides to shine. Instead, choosing to remain indoors and use their tumble dryers for fear of vomiting. This smell is unacceptable and therefore I contacted Donald McBrayne (waste services manager at the plant) to find out what exactly was the problem and more importantly what he was doing about it.

I had a meeting with Mr McBrayne this afternoon and Councillor O’Brien was in attendance, as he has also received several complaints as well. The meeting went well and Mr McBrayne acknowledge that there is a smell from the composting process but he also said that his organisation were investing £7,000,000 in the development of an Anaerobic Digester and that this should be fully operational by April 2010. Hopefully this should reduce the smell significantly.

Just to give you some background and what Mr McBrayne didn’t say. I should point out that I am not an expert but this is how I understand it. There are two methods in which composting takes place. One is Aerobic which involves aerating and this is usually what you would do with your compost bin at home. You would turn it over and allow oxygen to aid the process. When done properly there is a lower smell from this type of operation but is not really feasible with large units like the Deersdyke facility. It also creates a greater dust pollution which in my opinion is much more hazardous to our health. Therefore the Deersdyke facility has chosen to go down the Anaerobic route which has an increased odour control problem but is both commercially and environmentally superior to the aerobic method. However, Mr McBrayne mentioned his £7,000,000 investment that will enclose the Anaerobic composting and therefore reduce the problem of the smell. In other words because it is closed the smell will be filtered. Hope that makes sense?

There are additional factors that have exacerbated the problem of the smell and these are not the fault of the Deersdyke facility. The rape of our landscape for the A80 upgrade with the removal of the trees has channelled the normally diluted smell to reach our residential area and this coupled with the seasonal nature of green waste and hot an humid weather have all added to the problem. Hopefully the A80 will be replanted and the Anaerobic Digester is operational then the smell will return to an acceptable level. The Anaerobic Digester will be operational by April next year.

The Deersdyke plant has many environmental and social advantages to offer the businesses and residents within Westfield area and as such we should give the proposed improvements a chance to prove themselves. However, people and businesses cannot be expected to put up long term with this noxious smell so even though Deersdyke facility has Local, National and European support on their environmental issues, if the Anaerobic Digester and other methods we discussed today fail to reduce the smell to an acceptable level then we will put pressure on SEPA to revoke their license.

There are laws with regards to odours and these are enforced by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency but at this point in time the management at the Deersdyke facility are compliant. In other words they are operating within their license but, as I interpret it, only because they are investing in the methods highlighted above. If these methods fail then I would strongly recommend that complaints be made to SEPA.

• SEPA’s Pollution Hotline – 0800 80 70 60 – available 24/7
  

We will be watching and waiting and normally I would say don’t hold your breath but in this case I would suggest that you do or at least when passing the Deersdyke facility.

Your comments are always welcome.

 

What is the definition of a Lie?

I don’t know about you but I hate being lied to, especially when all it takes is a phone call or an email to check out the validity of the information. I have now got to the point of when dealing with NLC management that I check out every single claim they make. I have better things to do with my time but these guys cannot be allowed to get away with their lies and deceit any more. Surely someone must be able to hold them to account?

So what am I on about now? At a meeting of the Community Council, pre-wheelie bins, three members of NLC management and supervisory staff claimed that one of the reasons the wheelie bins had to be introduced was the unacceptable number of needlestick injuries and stabbings from objects piercing black bags. According to the NLC representatives there were several cases of injuries to cleansing operatives in Westfield alone. When questioned they hummed and hawed and reduced the number to two or three occasions that these specific accidents occurred. So knowing the gentlemen concerned I decided to check their claims. Not that I don’t trust them but I don’t believe a word that comes out of any of their mouths. I therefore requested, under the Freedom of Information Act, the actual numbers of needlestick and stabbing injuries in Westfield. The answer, a BIG FAT ZERO. Between Jan 2008 and Dec 2008 no cleansing operatives were injured as a result of needles or metal objects sticking out of black bags in Westfield or Eastfield at all. I did ask for dates from 2000 until present but I have had to request again for those dates.

The problem with lying is that on the rare occasion that they might be telling the truth we won’t believe them. A few weeks back two NLC Supervisors produced a photograph of a black bag with a six inch blade sticking out of it and claimed that this was picked up in Westfield and it had caused an NLC employee to be stabbed as a result. Was it real or was it staged? At this point in time I don’t know, I doubt if it was real, but what I do know for certain is that NLC have completely destroyed any trust I had in their claims so untilI see the actual reportable statistics I won’t believe them.

The definition of a lie –

Noun

1. an untrue statement deliberately used to mislead

2. something that is deliberately intended to deceive

 

At some point in the future NLC will want the support of our community and going by their record it won’t be easy earned.

Just a Little Breeze

It’s a lovely day outside with just a light wind. So you can imagine how vindicated I felt when I heard a clatter from my neighbours front door. I got up and looked out to see that their small Grey Bin lying across the pathway. The breeze came from the wrong direction and because it was empty it blew over. What would have happened if it was dark and the middle of the night? My neighbours are pensioners and they do not have rear access to their garden. Should the worst happen and they have a fire, their only route for escape is through the front of their house. If God is on their side they will escape but as NLC are not they will trip over the fallen bin, just because there was a light breeze.

Therefore in order to ensure their protection I have recommended that they enrol at Broadwood Stadium for hurdling training.

I wonder what Strathclyde Fire Brigade would make of this?

Public Meeting Follow-up

Last night’s meeting was more like an exercise in ‘How to Avoid Questions’ than a public meeting. I never heard a full nor a straight answer to a single point that was raised. For 5 years I have been asking North Lanarkshire Council about how they will operate their wheelie bin service in Westfield and how they can ensure that it will consider the specific needs of the area. Their response has always been the same – “Recycling for Good” – misdirection. Then last night when the people of Westfield asked the same questions, NLC representatives still failed to answer them. Last nigh a question was asked of Mr Ken Wilson –”What is more important Recycling for Good as it is implemented in Westfield and Eastfield or Health and Safety for the residents.” This was a straight and simple question that Mr Ken Wilson again failed to answer. Then later on he mentioned that he was faced with the responsibility to his employees for their health and safety and that bagged waste had proven to be a particular problem with stabbing and other puncture related hazards. Unfortunately the Chair, in my opinion, was stifling communications by taking triple questions and allowing Mr Ken Wilson to continue his usual avoidance tactics. If we had been allowed to interact properly with Mr Ken Wilson I would have brought up the unsafe and foul practice I witnessed yesterday afternoon. A neighbour of mine, who already possesses a wheeled bin, requested a smaller version. The delivery operative from cleansing arrived and hand emptied her existing flimsy bin liner bagged waste with his bare hands. If Mr Ken Wilson is so strong on health and safety then why did his employee consider that handling unknown waste with his bare hands then driving off with contaminated hands think that that was a safe practice?

Following yesterday’s meeting I decided to observe the practices of the cleansing operatives. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a grip with the bin men but I am concerned if they are working in an unsafe manner. Especially when that unsafe manner is seemingly condoned by the very management that tell the good people of Westfield that they are looking after his employees health and safety.

This morning saw a grey bin being emptied by hand, see comments, and I watched as the Blue Bins were collected. None of the guys were wearing gloves, none of the guys were wearing HSE recommended work wear and none of the guys stood far enough away from the operating mechanism at the rear of the vehicle. All this was watched by their supervisor. These are basic infringements of health and safety legislation and made worse by the fact that the supervisor was complicit.

This is apparently Mr Ken Wilson’s attempt at looking after his employees health and safety. If he was at all interested in health and safety then he would have read the HSE report into Refuse collection where they are perfectly clear that in areas that are unsuitable for wheeled bins then bagged waste collection is safer.

The Health and Safety Executive report [http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/hsl_pdf/2002/hsl02-21.pdf ] stated:

Where use of wheelie bins is impractical, collection of bags is likely to continue unless bulk collection facilities can be implemented. In these circumstances recycling should be encouraged by the provision of green bins and bags. {Bold mine}

 

The same report goes on:

When moving any size of bin the refuse collectors should:

1. Ensure there is sufficient space to manoeuvre the bin by moving surrounding obstacles, opening doors, etc.
   
2. Try to avoid pushing or pulling the bin across obstacles such as steps and kerbs.
   
3. Seek assistance when having trouble moving a bin – particularly if moving it up or down a slope or kerb or step.

    

Refuse collectors should be provided with effective PPE for their hands and legs.

This would not only help reduce the risk of lacerations, infections and disease but it may also enable refuse collectors to grip, hold and carry refuse in optimal ways, i.e., held in a balanced way and not held so far away from the legs.

We all recognise that there are hazards in both methods of service. However, if Mr Wilson or his colleagues had carried out a ‘Suitable and Sufficient’ risk assessment of the Westfield and Eastfield areas, or even read their own 1998 report, then they would realise that the area is still unsuitable for wheeled bins.

Their blanket solution is not the answer and health and safety is not an excuse for failing to address the problems.

Now we come to the matter of the facts as they were portrayed by Mr Ken Wilson at last night’s meeting.

Mr Wilson stated that if a resident had their bin stolen then it would be replaced free of charge by NLC. Then why does NLC’s own website charge a fee? Are we talking about his lack of knowledge of his service provision or is this another example where the true facts have yet again been skewed to fit a speech? Below is an extract from NLC’s website.

www.northlan.gov.uk Cleansing Services

Once supplied the wheeled bins become the property of the occupier of the property with the responsibility for its replacement in the event of theft or acts of vandalism etc being that of the owner or occupier of the property. For rented properties the responsibility may rest with the Landlord, confirmation of arrangements in such cases should be checked prior to any requests being made to us.

140 litre	new	£33.13	second hand	£24.85
240 litre	new	£38.85	second hand	£29.14
360 litre	new	£57.28	second hand	£42.95
660 litre	new	£268.76	second hand	£201.57
1100 litre	new	£267.54	second hand	£200.66

Note: Second hand bins not always available

Trade-in allowance - dependant on condition of bin – 50%

So what next? Well having looked at the statistics that NLC have produced to back their case I am concerned at either their incompetence or their attempt to mislead the people and our elected official. Therefore we will be seeking a public enquiry into what appears to be the disrespect, lies and thug tactics employed by NLC management and their employees.

If it is found that anyone in NLC has lied or is complicit in their purposeful attempt at duping the public then the least we can expect is an immediate termination of their employment. Everyone within NLC who is guilty of such cross misconduct perpetrated to meet their collective agenda should be sacked, irrespective of their position.

On a different note: It was great to hear that Councillor Chadha is on our side, considering that he is part of the same labour group, as is Councillor McCulloch, who voted unanimously for the introduction of a wheeled bin service in Westfield and Eastfield. Oh well as Councillor Chadha says, I don’t understand how the politics work. Perhaps not but I do understand how the introduction of a wheeled bin service affects the people of Westfield, which is more than NLC or the Labour Group do.

Have we all fallen down a rabbit hole?

I received a copy of an email that Ken Wilson sent to Councillor O’Brien, who seems to be the only councillor who is doing anything to resolve this the problem of wheelie bins. Anyway, the last paragraph of the email is copied below and for the life of me, I am struggling because someone isn’t living in the real world. Perhaps it is us lowly peasants who are all wrong, or perhaps it is the NLC official who are deluding themselves into believing their own Jackanory statistics.

Extract from Ken Wilson’s email:

“… In relation to the 27 households in Westfield that are currently dissatisfied with their blue bin, this matter will be addressed shortly and further attempts will be made to contact the 9 outstanding households which have requested the removal of their blue bin to clarify their position…”

So according to these statistics, in the whole of Westfield, there are only 27 who are dissatisfied and just 9 who want them taken away. Of course when it comes to statistics we all believe North Lanarkshire Council, don’t we? It’s not that they tell fibs to get their own way is it? It’s not that they treat our elected officials with total disregard is it? Ask any one of them, from any political party, about wheelie bins and see if they believe the NLC figures that there is 27 ‘dissatisfied’ people in Westfield.

Me thinks we are getting the Bums Rush again!

If you are not happy then for goodness sake complain in writing and send a copy to the Community Council. Rose Cadden is the secretary her email is :

rosecadd1.wcc@blueyonder.co.uk

 

 

Official Complaint Procedure

If you are unhappy at the lies, guile, service or behaviour of NLC employees then I have been advised that the official complaints procedure is the way forward. If you have been landed with an unwanted wheeled bin then a letter to NLC Environmental Services Department demanding its immediate uplift is required. According to the Environmental Services report of 27^th February Mr Barry McCulloch approved the implementation of the programme. However, within the report of the committee it clearly states that residents have a choice. Therefore, we do not need to accept wheeled bins. It does also mean that recycling duties may fall on us for our decision but personally that is something I already do and I know that you do also.

Telephone Chief Executives office and ask for a copy of their Complaints Procedures to be posted to you. The telephone number is: 01698 302718

To have their wheeled bin taken back contact:

Customer Services Assistants
NorthLine Environmental
52-60 Merry Street – Motherwell – ML1 1LZ
01698 403110
environmental@northlan.gov.uk

Below is an extract from the Minutes, Agendas and Reports from North Lanarkshire Council’s Environmental Committee which Councillor Barry McCulloch is part of. It was this committee that approved Ken Wilson’s Report.

****** ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES COMMITTEE 27 February 2008 Agenda item 7 ******

3 Proposals/Considerations [Bold mine]

3.1 In devising the resubmission to the Scottish Government, the Department took advice from Remade at Caledonian University on the best fit of proposals that would work within the North Lanarkshire environment and housing types. It was clear from this consultation that there would need to be a tailored approach to implementing schemes with no “one size fits all” being possible. The proposals therefore identified ways of providing all residents with the means of participating in recycling by providing appropriate facilities whilst at the same time ensuring best value.

3.4.4 Appropriate property surveys have now been completed throughout the Authority and having identified properties where it is impractical to provide this service, alternatives will be provided …

3.4.6.6 Recycling Containers will be made freely available to those householders who have up to now decided not to participate in the schemes. It should be noted that no additional (residual) collections can be provided to any resident who chooses not to participate during the recycling week but every effort will be made through educational and advisory methods to encourage participation

As you can see NLC failed to acknowledge previous findings that Westfield Cumbernauld was considered impractical for wheeled bin implementation. I refer to MSP Hugh O’Donnell’s letter.

The Fight is Not Over Yet!

Well wheelie bins were issued this morning in the lower part of Westfield.

This fight is not over. A public meeting is to be held within the Community Halls in Westfield on Monday 6^th April 2009 at 7.30pm. I would advise that you attend. Hopefully I will have discovered who has backed this and who has stayed silent.

I have contacted Cathie Craigie’s office and they say that she is 100% behind the residents of Westfield in her opposition to wheeled bins. She has asked for a meeting with NLC. I also spoke to her administrative assistant and she informed me that NLC told Councillor Chadha that the issue of wheeled bins would not be going ahead until after NLC had met with our elected officials. Well guess who is telling porkies again?

I have also contacted Allan O’Brien who was an unhappy man this morning and has arranged a meeting with NLC officials for later this week.

I am still waiting for Councillor McCulloch to respond on this issue, I just wonder what his silence means?

I appreciate the support from our elected members but I want to see some action.

It doesn’t take Einstein to realise that Wheelie bins are not the answer in Westfield but NLC are Hell bent on imposing them, so much so that they will stoop to deplorable depths of dishonesty and guile. If recycling was the issue then I am positive that we could have sat round a table and come up with a workable solution. But no, NLC want everything their own way and stuff the local residents. Now, normally I would be campaigning for the heads of our elected members but at present I do not know who has backed this initiative. I have been told that it was unanimously supported by the ruling group within the council. I have therefore written to Councillor McCulloch, who so far has been silent on this matter, to let me know before the public meeting. I do sincerely hope that it is only the unelected jobsworths employed within NLC and their senior management that are behind this situation. However, when I find out I will let you know.

I spoke to :o) the NLC employees who were issued with orders last week to deliver these bins to our houses and they told me that the grey ones are also being delivered. What I would love to know is – Who is in Charge here? NLC have again misled our councillors and also misled our MSPs. I will also be contacting the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman for their advice.

Not Everyone Is Opposed

We have had a comment from LM who is in favour of Wheeled Bins and I thank them for that and I can fully understand their position. We know and accept that there are a few households in Westfield where the use of wheeled bins is perfectly acceptable. They have the storage and the point of presentation. In fact when NLC asked if they could survey the residents and seek permission, the Community Council had no objections as long as NLC did two small things:

1. Operated their service as stated within their procedures and policies. Having two or three bins in each street is not a problem as long as NLC return them to the point of presentation and that they do not block paths or walkways. Unfortunately NLC have never managed to do this but instead abandon the bins causing potential hazards to our children, pensioners and disabled residents. NLC operatives have consistently left the bins at the path edge and in our car parks. Almost every area in Westfield is a grassed cul-de-sac so they don’t have kerbsides. Just taking as an example the problems for our children, kids walking to school have to manoeuvre around these abandoned bins and cannot see or be seen by vehicles entering or leaving our car parks. Delivery vans not aware of the problem are suddenly faced with bins as they round a corner so swerve to avoid it. Unfortunately they don’t see the child, or the pensioner, or any pedestrian as they have no choice but to walk through the assembled barrage and across the car park. Fortunately we have not had an accident yet but we only have a small number of bins per street. Imagine what the path ends or the car park would look like with 30 assembled waiting to be emptied or collected at the end of the day. The only point of presentation that is possible for the majority is the end of our front paths as anywhere else will affect public safety. This issue is already identified in Safer Pathways on NLC’s own website. They know there is a problem and they know that they don’t have a suitable answer that does not compromise the safety and security of our residents. However, if you read their policies and procedures, once you have accepted a wheeled bin then the responsibility for safety of the residents falls on you. They can abandon it anywhere they like but if an accident should happen because it is your bin it is your responsibility. Even if someone steals it, it will cost you £60+ to replace it. Why do you think that they are pursuing this issue so aggressively?

    

2. The second issue that we requested they solve is – Where do people who don’t have anywhere to store the bins, store them? It is ok for some in Westfield as they have a place to store a wheeled bin and perhaps two. But not everyone has. Eleven years ago Westfield Community Council, MSPs, Councillors and NLC officials walked round Westfield looking at this very problem. The conclusion was that Westfield was unsuitable for wheeled bins. (see MSP Hugh O’Donnell’s letter to Gavin Whitefield NLC Chief Exec. in the comments field). So what has changed? Nothing. Westfield is unsuitable for wheeled bins and no amount of lying, cajoling, bullying or harassment can change that.

I’ll be frank, yes some of us do have a place to put one or two bins so our main concern is the return to point presentation (point 1 mentioned above). However, there are a lot of householders who don’t have anywhere to put even one wheeled bin. Therefore should NLC be allowed to foist their ill thought out solution on these people?

When it comes to recycling then almost every person in Westfield is strongly in favour of it. That is why the majority of us, who can, trundle to Wardpark on a regular basis. But wheeled bins are not the solution. Not when they create such significant risk and distress to many of the residents of Westfield. Westfield Community Council have long been supporters of recycling. We recognised that there was a problem for those who couldn’t get to Wardpark which is why the recycling bins were placed in the small car park next to the shop. Unfortunately, they lasted five minutes before vandals set fire to them and NLC removed them. We support the recycling unit being built in Westfield Industrial Estate. We have supported garden uplifts for years right up until NLC decided that it wanted to stop it. NLC introduced a recycling service a few years back and failed to pick up the bags and boxes. They blamed the contractor but NLC were in charge, or should have been. This is not a recycling issue. This is an issue that affects the health and wellbeing of our residents. This is an issue of fortnightly uplifts with nowhere to safely store the decomposing waste. This is an issue of attracting vermin into our kitchens and gardens. This is an issue of dragging two week old filthy waste through our homes. This is an issue that affects us all.

Am I being melodramatic? Make up your own mind but first check out the following articles:

In the Sun Newspaper – The UK is facing an epidemic of RATS of plague proportions. Edinburgh is already being hit by a sevenfold increase and overflowing bins are being highlighted as the main cause.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article757835.ece accessed 23rd March 2009

 

Daily Record 29^th September 2008 – SCOTLAND’S capital is in the grip of a rat epidemic – with pest controllers reporting a seven-fold rise in callouts.
Experts blame overflowing bins caused by a decrease in collections and they say Edinburgh’s rat population could spiral out of control.

 

Or the 21^st Century Plague spread by Rat Fleas. – Bacteria that can cause serious heart disease in humans are being spread by rat fleas, sparking concern that the infections could become a bigger problem in humans. Research published in the December issue of the Journal of Medical Microbiology suggests that brown rats, the biggest and most common rats in Europe, may now be carrying the bacteria.

                    http://current.com/items/89558279/scientists_discover_21st_century_plague.htm accessed 23rd March 2009

Wheeled Bins are not a new issue. This is a long standing concern hat NLC refuses to address. Many, reading this will know that it has already been directly linked to the death of Councillor Coombe. In fact when I recently mentioned it to Mr H Frew of NLC his comment was that Councillor Coombe had heart troubles anyway. So if you are ill, young, old or weak then NLC don’t seem to give a damn. NLC know the depth of feeling about this and yet they also try to cloud the issue by claiming it is a cost saving, or an environmental, or a moral, or whatever invalid reasons they can muster. Then when that doesn’t make an impression they make up false figures and expect the good people of Westfield to accept them. 

LM mentioned in their comments about the statistics and data that I referred to in my last posting as perhaps being wrong. Their comment was that perhaps NLC were using data collected during the wheeled bin request letter from last year. The only thing I can say is that, no it doesn’t. Councillor Chadha knocked on doors yesterday to validate the NLC figures as he needed proof that NLC had tried to dupe him. He now has that proof. However, it doesn’t help their case when NLC employees can’t even count the houses correctly. The data I referred to was a spreadsheet that was sent to Councillor Chadha following our complaint at the disrespect portrayed by Mr K Wilson’s men under the supervision of Mr H Frew.

NLC have destroyed our trust and they have lied to elected officials. So I thank LM for their comments and I would love to say that NLC had behaved impeccably in their dealings with the residents of Westfield but I cannot. LM’s experiences with NLC have been positive and therefore valid but I do believe they are in a minority.

This is not something that can be taken lightly. NLC need to know that the introduction of Wheeled Bins into Westfield is unworkable and compromises the health and wellbeing of the residents. Do not accept their protestations and false claims. Get out and make your voice heard. We hope to have a public meeting on this but please do not let this slide, otherwise we will all pay the price.

Wheelie Bin Update 21/3/09

And the carnival rolls on. I got a telephone call from Councillor Chadha this morning. What he said was that if he is allowed to, he will try and bring this matter up at the Labour Group meeting on Monday. However, before then he wants to meet with me to see if we can discuss a way forward, as we do need to resolve this matter. How can we resolve a matter when we believe the other party are going to lie to us? I wish him luck with the Labour Group but this in not a political problem. This is about heavy handed bullying by people who do not care about our community. We do have other Councillors in our area who do not belong to the Labour Group and they have also been very supportive. Therefore, I do not want them excluded from the discussions and I’m afraid that is what might happen if the Labour Group are given carte blanche on this matter. Apart from that – this is an IF. The Labour Group already has an Agenda for Monday’s meeting and I just don’t want to take the risk that this issue might be shelved. As I said, I wish councillor Chadha the best of luck in getting this issue added to the Agenda and I sincerely hope that the Labour Group back our community.

There was one other thing that Councillor Chadha mentioned, that made my jaw drop. Seemingly Paul Dukes, K Wilson’s boss, said that he accepted Mr K Wilson’s figres as an accurate reflection of the situation in Westfield. These are the same figures that have miscounted the number of houses in Westfield. These are the same figures that in Netherwood Road there are 8 houses and in reality there are 9. By the way there are 10 streets where they couldn’t even count the number of houses correctly and these are the same people who operate our services. I mean who has a position of managing a service and cannot count to 10? But why would Paul Dukes accept these same figures as accurate. The whole thing is a joke and not a funny one at that.

North Lanarkshire Council have betrayed our trust and I struggle to see how they will ever win it back again.

In the meantime. I suggest that you make up a poster and put it in public view. NO WHEELIE BIN!

Wheelie Bins Update

Well what a furore. I think almost everybody in Westfield are up in arms at the carry on of North Lanarkshire Council. NLC officials have lied to us, they have lied to MSPs and to Councillors. Just recently Councillor O’Brien was told that NLC Cleansing Department were not going to impose their wheeled bin service. I would love to be a fly on the wall at their next meeting because when I spoke with him today he was none too pleased at being put into a potentially compromising position. The word ‘compromising’ is my translation of the actual words he used.

Want a laugh? Actually it isn’t funny but sad. NLC representative Mr K Wilson sent Councillor Chadha a copy of his data collection. Seemingly his men had knocked on a selection of doors within Westfield and asked if we wanted a wheeled bin service. He then produced the statistics. Well, in my street alone there were 16 householder were asked and 16 accepted a wheeled bin. 100% acceptance. Only problem was that my door was knocked and Mr Hugh Frew of NLC said “here is your free DVD and leaflet. By the way you will be getting a Blue bin next week.” The conversation lasted about 45 minutes but the gist was that he could stick his Blue Bin in the same compromising position that Councillor O’Brien found himself in, if you get my meaning. Seemingly telling NLC representatives where to stick their bins is the same as accepting it. However, that isn’t the end of it, if you forgive the pun. Councillor Chadha sent me a copy of the data that said I was willing to accept a bin. When I looked at the data, NLC representatives had miscounted the houses. There are 29 houses in my street but they counted 33. In fact out of 24 streets they counted 10 of them incorrectly. Then think that we are stupid enough to not notice. Their information falls at the first hurdle. They didn’t even need to count the houses, as that is probably too much effort, the number of houses are on the internet. If they had bothered to check their own Council Tax data then they would see that. I’m sorry but despair at their ineptitude.

So what is happening? Well almost everyone is now involved. Councillor Chadha is going to talk to some people in the hope of a solution. He’s a nice man, not judgemental like me. Councillor Murray has written to Mr K Wilson because Mr K Wilson is not answering his phone. Councillor O’Brien is spitting onions and has demanded a meeting with Paul Dukes and K Wilson to find out why he feels that both he and MSP Jamie Hepburn were blatantly lied to. MSP Cathie Craigie has written to say she is on to it. MSP Hugh O’Donnell has written to Gavin Whitefield in no uncertain terms. MSP Jamie Hepburn has also written to NLC and is none too pleased at being apparently lied to over the present situation.

I want to close now with a request to visit a website. My complaint amongst other things is the use of wheeled bins in Westfield compromises community safety. It disadvantages the kids, elderly and the disabled putting their wellbeing in danger. This is not to take away from the “where do we put them argument” but check NLC’s own website on Safer Footways http://www.runurl.com/xx.php?q4z . They tell us not to obstruct the footpath with wheelie bins because it is a hazard. But it’s alright for them.

If you have any comments then please feel free to make them. Try and keep swearing out of it though )