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 )