Wheelie Bin Path Blockage

Yet another path is blocked by the uncaring refuse collection employees.  North Lanarkshire Council have said they understand the issues facing the residents of Westfield and yet despite all their protestations of care and consideration they still block our paths with abandoned wheelie bins.  Have a look at the path in the picture below – How in heavens name is anyone meant to access the bus stop without trudging through the mus at the side of the path.  Mud I add that was churned up by the tractor recently when cutting the grass.  This group of abandoned bins are on the only path that leads to the bus stop.  North Lanarkshire Council Waste Management Services have introduced a new ‘Communal’ Point of Presentation [PoP] with little thought or regard for the effectiveness, efficiency or their duty of care to the members of the public.  The decision was made and within a week of its public announcement it was introduced.   Unfortunately about 1/3 of the residents were never told of the changes.  The rest were told that there would be a new presentation point but no one knew where that was – not even the NLC employees.  Guesswork at best incompetence at worse.  No account had been made for the terrain, individual health factors or the individual capabilities of each resident that would be required to haul the bin from their garden to these unknown PoPs.

     Oh don’t get me wrong.  We have been told that we can request an ‘Assisted Pull-Out’ Service if we feel that we are unable to deliver the bins ourselves to the unknown communal PoP.  However what I have discovered this week after speaking to several residents that this ‘Assisted Pull-Out’ service is at the discretion of the Council and many have been refused.  And failure to present the bin at the new unknown PoP will result in the refuse not being collected. To get an assisted pull-out residents have been told that they need a doctors certificate or some other evidence that they are incapable of pulling out the wheelie bin and dragging it up slopes or stairs.  Unfortunately many doctors don’t write letters and some that do charge a fee.  Also very few of the doctors are trained in occupational health or are au-fay with the local terrain.

My advice is to carry out your own Risk Assessment.  Go to the HSE’s website and look at the way NLC are supposed to carry out their Manual Handling  Risk Assessment for their own employees and apply the same criteria to yourself.

What you do not want is to pull, push or manoeuvre your own wheelie bin if you believe that doing so will cause you injury.  NLC Waste Management Services already know the risk involved with regards to their own employees so transferring the risks onto you cannot be accepted or tolerated.

Newsletter 0506

Westfield Community Council Newsletter 2006-05-08

Well residents of Westfield, a lot has happened since our last Newsletter.  I wonder where I should start.  We seem to be in the same dilemma as always.  I will try to go through as many as I can remember, which we think are important to everyone. 

 

First of all, vandalism and graffiti.  It seems to be an area where the Police, Councillor Chahda and the members of the Community Council try and try, but we find it very hard to eradicate, but we will keep on working along with the Police and try to bring it to a conclusion.  A lot to do with what is going on with our youths is underage drinking and having no where to spend their time in the evening.

Fly Tipping and Special Uplifts – The other thing I have to mention which is a worry to us all is the litter and fly tipping that is happening all over the place.  I wish everyone would remember that we all want to live in a clean and environmentally safe place for our children.  I know we now have a problem with the new legislation that has come in about the special uplifts.  As you probably know, you will only be allowed one free uplift and after that you will have to pay fifteen pounds for every other uplift.  We have, as the Community Council and in conjunction with our Councillor, written a letter of protest against this.

Community Forum – One of the other duties I have been involved in on behalf of Westfield Community Council is the Community Forum.  From there I was nominated onto the group dealing with the upgrade of the Town Centre, where we are debating with NLC that it is not just about giving us a new shopping mall at one end, and forgetting about the rest of the centre.  All we see every week are shops closing, and that is not what the people of Cumbernauld wish.  We will argue with NLC to give us a town centre that we can be proud of, and able to take any visitors to and sit in a nice environment.

Dangerous Vandalism (Gas Governor) – Another big worry we had was the gas complaint – governor near Inchwood Place and Westfield Drive, that had been vandalised and was in a dangerous state, especially for the residents that only live three or four metres from it.  I am glad to tell you that through continuous phone calls fro myself and the Chairman, Mr Alan Devlin, Councillor Bob Chahda and last but not least our secretary Rose Cadden, through numerous letters that she had to send and also through the article by Clare Grant in the Cumbernauld News, that at last the Health and Safety and Scottish Gas are now working to make it safe.

Bus Shelters – As you have probably noticed we seem to have shamed the SPT and NLC into giving us new bus shelters and I only hope that, by the time this goes to print, they will have appeared. 

Bus Shelter VANDALISED within 24 hours – In the previous paragraph SPT and NLC promised to erect bus shelters.  Within 24 hour of their erection they were vandalised.  It is time to stamp out these vandals.   

Pensioners club – I am glad to hear that our pensioners club is still going strong, as is their carpet bowls club.

New Position – I have now taken on the position of Chairman of The Association of Cumbernauld Community Councils, who meet once a month and discuss matters that happen in all of our areas, and then take the matters up with one strong voice.

I hope that I have not bored you too much with some of the things that are happening in your area, and always remember, this is your Community Council, and we need your help and support.

Billy Lees, Treasurer, Westfield Community Council.   

Warning to Parents

Just a reminder to all parents to warn their children as they go to and from school to try to make sure they are always with a friend, as a report recently said that their was a flasher in and around the St Maurice’s School area. So children, be careful out there.

Parking Spaces

We still have lots of complaints about not enough parking spaces in all areas where we live.  I can assure you that this has been a common complaint for years.  We have had NLC carry out a survey on this and report back.  It is nearly impossible to do anything to help the situation.

Broadwood Loch

Our secretary, Rose Cadden, has been working hard with Councillor Chahda trying to get the paths and some facilities brought into Broadwood Loch so that the residents of Westfield can go down there to enjoy a nice day without having to jump behind bushes if you need the toilet.

Wheelie Bins

Dear resident, I thought  had better warn you that the ‘wheelie bin’ situation is coming back to haunt us.  We will keep you updated on this.

Westfield Community Council Contact No 01236 736342

 A80 Upgrade

A 80 upgrade members of WCC since 1996 have on a mandate of Residents of Westfield protested against upgrade of present motorway as the devastating effect on Westfield and adjacent areas.  At various meetings, the caser against was put to members of S.P. by experts in their field.  A public enquiry was held at the end of 2005 at Westerwood Hotel.  It was, in my opinion, a grossly unfair contest as all their legal staff, fees, hotel accommodation, meals, expenses, photo copying etc were paid by SPE, our money, where CC representative JAG had to pay from their own private fund, costing thousands.  CC were prohibited from using CC funds and also denied public funds.  The decision should be late this year.  Another cause of concern is that any decision by the people of Westfield and NLC can be overruled from Edinburgh SPE by a civil servant who, on their own admission, have never even seen the problem.

Alan Devlin, Chairman WCC   

Councillor B. Chadha Update. Since my second term election in May,2003, I have been working in partnership with Westfield Community Council, School boards, Senior Citizens  groups and other voluntary groups in tackling some of the issues identified by people of Westfield, such as  The campaign against the Scottish Executive,s proposal to upgrade A80 on line,Cumbernauld Town Centre,Law and Order, Improving local environment and more sport and recreational facilities. Most of you are very familiar with my history working for the people of this Ward, with many sharing an active role within the campaigns.  However, for your information I update you on all my involvements.   (1) The Scottish Executive,s proposal to upgrade A80 on line.  As you know, I fully supported The Association of Cumbernald Community Councils collective campaign against the Executive’s proposal.  The Scottish Executive held the local Public Inquiry last year in which the alternative route option was looked at.  The finding of the inquiry is eagerly awaited and we hope the outcome goes in our favour and our long drawn campaign becomes a success story. (2) Cumbernauld Town Centre. At last the rebirth of the Cumbernauld Town Centre is taking place with London & Regional property developers are investing over£40million in developing the town centre.  We all hope it would not be long before we start enjoying the fruit of our campaign for better local shopping facilities. (3) Improving local environment. Four new Bus Shelters are being replaced in the Westfield area and N.L.C. is undertaking a survey to ascertain the possibility of introducing Traffic calming  Scheme on Westfield Roads. The Parking facilities nearby St. Francis Primary School has been extended although not totally satisfactorily. (4) More Facilities. I am pleased to report a School Sport Comprehensive has been built at St Maurice School which provide excellent sport and recreational facilities not only to schools pupils but to other sports clubs  and community groups.  More and improved sport facilities are being expanded at Broadwood Stadium. (5) Law and Order. Anti Social Behaviour legislation has been passed by The Scottish Executive in 2004 and I played my part in contributing to formulate N.L.C. anti- social strategy.  I along with the Cumbernauld Police launched the first Youth Alcohol Strategy at St. Maurice School last year which proved successful in reducing alcohol abuse among young people.     Monthly Surgeries I continue to hold my monthly surgery at Westfield Community Centre on every Second Wednesday at 6.30.pm.  Over the period I have dealt with over 200 queries.  I managed to resolve most of the people’s complaints but unfortunately, in some cases, I did not achieve the desired result people wished. My future ambition remains to make Westfield a more safer and attractive place to live, with your continued support this goal can be fully achieved.

 Councillor B. Chadha.