Problems with the Phone Line

Virgin Media Customers – Westfield residents who are customers of Virgin Media may have experienced a loss pf service last month.  I have it on good authority that if you did lose service and make a formal complaint there is a good chance that you will get a refund of your costs.  In addition if you can also prove that you were forced to use a mobile phone because of the lost service you can also make a claim for this.  Alan Devlin, Chair of the Westfield Community Council has already managed to reclaim some money from Virgin Media.

Bring Back the Sewage Works – Please!

Hold your noses – When I heard that Scottish Water wanted to replace the sewage works at Deersdyke with a Composting and Organics Recycling Facility I was pleased.  I did have concerns about potentially harmful emissions of wood dusts but Scottish Water assured me that they would have strict controls over any such emissions and to their credit they do control dust emissions very well.  However what I wasn’t aware of was the stink that would emanate from the facility.  I never thought I would ever prefer the smell of the sewage works to the stench that comes across Westfield when there is a Westerly wind. 

If you have experienced a strong smell of rotting vegetation or whatever it is then please let Scottish Water know about it.  There website for the POD system at Deersdyke is www.scottishwater.co.uk/compost  Tel: 01236 875415

Waste Management

Waste Management – The Community Council welcomed North Lanarkshire Council representatives – Mr Ken Wilson (Land Services) and Mr Hugh Frew (Cleansing).  Mr Wilson explained the plan and the projected costs to NLC if they failed in their imposed waste recycling targets.  He also explained that Westfield’s present system of bin bags would have a detrimental effect on any recycling plans and could cost the Council a substantial amount in fines being levied by the Scottish Government.  It is therefore essential that a solution is found to assist the residents of Westfield in their recycling endeavours.  The conclusion reached by Mr Wilson was that, presently there approximately 250 houses in Westfield that have rear access and these residents will be approached and asked if they would like a wheeled bin.  In addition the houses that already have a wheeled bin will be asked if they would like another two (giving them three bins all together – Grey, Blue and Brown).  Mr Wilson assured me that the details of the waste management plan for North Lanarkshire Council can be viewed on the NLC website.  However, if you have ever managed to find anything on NLC’s website let me know.  I am internet savvy and I still can’t work it out.

I will keep you posted when I hear something else on this.

Wheelie Bins and Waste Recycling

Wheelie Bins just seem to be a regular topic on the agenda of the Westfield Community Council.  Now whether that is because they are an important topic or whether it is because North Lanarkshire Council are hell bent on introducing them in our area, I don’t know.  What I do know is that there are only a few residents who have wheeled bins at present and I have been trying for the past year to get someone in NLC to respond to complaints regarding the abandonment of these eyesores in our car parks after the bin men have emptied them but to no avail.  Eventually the Community Council managed to get someone from NLC to attend our meeting to discuss waste management plans within the area.  This also gave us the opportunity to collar them on the wheeled bin debacle.   We have been assured that wheeled bins will NOT be left abandoned by the binmen.  Wait and see shall we.

Let me know if you are having wheelie bin problems.