WBC to close Sandy Lane Tip, Stockton Heath - 1 August !!

[Ann Raymond]

I would hope that the consultation document/questionnaire, whatever it is, will ask for suggestions, in which case people who wouldn't mind paying small charge can say so.  Doubtless others will make the point that council tax is supposed to cover basic services. People who wish to see the tip closed can also  make their point.  Borough councillors and 2 parish councillors from each parish have been invited to a briefing on waste and recycling next week.  Why couldn't the council have done all this BEFORE making the decision?  It would have saved all this cerfuffle (Is there a correct spelling of 'cerfuffle?)

The savings issue is only one half of the story.  Substantial spending is being made on many other services/ideas.  Waste management and recycling just seem to be given lower priority.

[wolfie]

  It would have saved all this cerfuffle (Is there a correct spelling of 'cerfuffle?)

I think its spelt  - c o c k u p

[Dizzy]

Substantial spending is being made on many other services/ideas. 

What are those services/ideas Ann do you happen to know ?

[Dizzy]

I would hope that the consultation document/questionnaire, whatever it is, will ask for suggestions, in which case people who wouldn't mind paying small charge can say so.

But depending on how it is asked and then analysed by the council we could all put that we would be happy to pay x amount for example only to find Stockton Heath Tip still closes and because of a 'public consultation' it is then decided further down the line to farm out blue bin collections to a private company and we have to pay weekly directly to them if we want to continue with the service. 

 

OK so I know that wont happen and the example is a bit far fetched but the council do have a way of twisting consultation responses to make it mean the 'we' all agreed with/wanted/were happy with something else.

 

[Evil Sid]

it is then decided further down the line to farm out blue bin collections to a private company and we have to pay weekly directly to them if we want to continue with the service.

 don't be giving them any more ideas. they may look at that and think. what a great way of saving money. get rid of all the bin wagons with approriate maintenance cost, get rid of all the collection personell and award ourselves a payrise with the money saved because we have saved money.

[Dizzy]

front page news...... let the games consultation begin

http://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/articles/18816/1/Council-launches-waste-and-recycling-consultation/Page1.html

[Dessy]

I can't see why it matters that there are no floodlights at Stockton Heath.  For a large chunk of the year it's always open from 8am to 8pm and that is really handyl especially when the weather is hot and we can all take our stinky black bin rubbish or excess waste so it doesn't just sit out in the sun attracting flies and vermin.  A lot of people probably spend more time doing odd jobs about the house or in the garden when the nights are lighter too so being open until 8pm is good for them too.

 

Closing any local tip at 4pm is absolutely ridiculous as most people work way past that time, anyway I've said it all before so I wont repeat myself.

I don't see why we should be shot down in flames when you make comments like this. You spoke of stinky bin rubbish attracting flies and vermin

[Dizzy]

I have a couple of questions already re that news link content

Re the consultation it says "It also covers additional recycling facilities for local communities and asks residents to help identify new locations and what recycling facilities they would like on these sites"

How many new recycling 'sites' are they thinking about as surely they will cost additional money. 
Maybe they don't cost anything though and the containers are provided free of charge if an outside company supplies them and takes a small cut of the money raised from the sale of the recyclables or something.  There used to be a huge cardboard container/skip near Wyndsors shoes and I think that's now that one worked.

Second question

Cllr David Keane says  “Our aim is to continue our excellent record of recycling and reach 70% by 2030, in line with new planned European targets. To achieve this, the service we provide to residents will need to evolve. We need your support and ideas to help us shape the future of waste and recycling services in Warrington. "

I don't get what he means by  'reaching 70% by  2030'.  Are we not already reaching levels like this or is that a different % than the one shown on Stockton Heath Tip board which is often over 70% ?    (unless of course he means by 8.30pm every night and Gary missed the . out  )




I'm all for recycling and that is one of the benefits of having a LOCAL tip close by.  Like everyone else I put my stuff in the relevant garden/metal/wood/cardboard/other etc skips there and the staff are always very keen to ensure everyone does that.  Great staff there

[Dessy]

Hey. You're the one who moved next door to a tip. You may have been misled about its future closure but you still did it.I also presume you'll be campaigning for the closure of all tips on the basis that somebody lives near them? Or not? 

 

As it happens, there's no way this facility will stay open. It's been a done deal for months and all this palaver with the Executive Committee and the 'consultation' is just the usual charade that they give a stuff what residents think about anything. They'll close it and plonk the occassional skip down somewhere in Appleton, although I assume you won't be using it.  

We accept the fact of buying next to the RECYCLING CENTRE but object to having it rammed down our throats when we try to make a comment. Our attitude remains the same we will accept it if it does not close. We did not campaign for Sandy Lane closure we were just happy that it was on the agenda. We will not be campaigning to close any tips/recycling centres. Please let us have our say without sarcastic remarks thrown back at us.

[Dizzy]

I can't see why it matters that there are no floodlights at Stockton Heath. For a large chunk of the year it's always open from 8am to 8pm and that is really handyl especially when the weather is hot and we can all take our stinky black bin rubbish or excess waste so it doesn't just sit out in the sun attracting flies and vermin. A lot of people probably spend more time doing odd jobs about the house or in the garden when the nights are lighter too so being open until 8pm is good for them too.

 

Closing any local tip at 4pm is absolutely ridiculous as most people work way past that time, anyway I've said it all before so I wont repeat myself.

I don't see why we should be shot down in flames when you make comments like this. You spoke of stinky bin rubbish attracting flies and vermin

 

Dessy I am NOT shooting you down in flames at all and I'm sorry if you have read any of my comments in that way as it is not my intention and I appologise if that is how they sound to you.

 

Yes I did speak of stinky bin rubbish attracting flies and vermin and that is a fact. When I said 'stinky bins' I meant residents black bins which are stored at their own homes or in the case of a lot of people around here left out in the backs 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Out of sight and out of mind I guess hence the fact that a lot of the lids are NOT closed properly and occasionally excess bags are often left on top too so these sorts are always surrounded by flies and no doubt rats at night. That is the FAULT of the residents themselves of course though but on the other hand I can sort of understand why they don't want to keep their bins in their yards if they get the same as we do.

 

We don't leave ours out in the backs as it's something that really annoys and makes the whole area look a right mess too.

 

My 'stinky black bin' was bleached out and jet washed last Wednesday after the bin men had emptied it. I do that myself after EVERY collection. It has bin buddy freshener in it and I've even been spraying febreeze in it too but one week later it smells again and the disgusting flies are congregating around it. They are nowhere else in my yard now as I resolved my other 'problem' of swarms of flies all over the paving flags etc YEUCH that wasn't nice.... but the bin is still a problem.

 

If I had a large garden then maybe it wouldn't be such an issue but I have a yard (or patio area as some people prefer to call them) and it's a sun trap with hardly any shade during so you can imagine what effect that heat has on a black bin. Saying that the people on the other side of the backs DO have gardens but a lot of them leave theirs out too

 

Until the council changed to fortnightly bin collections we rarely had any problems with flies at all now

 

I guess they are just breeding like mad these days though so there are far more about anyway and apparently from laying eggs it only takes a matter of days for new flies to emerge.

 

Maybe the council could issue letters to all the residents telling them NOT to leave black/blue/green bins out 24/7 and maybe that way they will take more care of them and the contents as I'm sure they wouldn't leave them like that if they had to sit in the same yard or garden as them.

 

Anyway Ive gone off topic there a little there as this is about the tip not my black bin.... sorry     

[Dessy]

Thanks Dizzy, apology accepted and if we took what you said the wrong way we return the apology. We really don't want a fight we just want to express ourselves too.

[Dizzy]

Same here Dessy and the only people I am a tad annoyed with is WBC... oh and the people around here who leave their bins out

You have just as much right to express your views as anyone else does  

Remember this is a forum though and often people don't agree with things or each other which is how discussions arise in the first place so don't take any of it to heart
 

[wolfie]

Remember this is a forum though and often people don't agree with things or each other which is how discussions arise in the first place so don't take any of it to heart

 

I don't agree with that comment.

[Dizzy]

You wouldn't Wolfie

[Ann Raymond]

So the consultation questions are on WBC website now.  Anyone been through it yet?  Wonder if doing it over the weekend is any good or whether it won't be accepted before Monday. 

Everywhere I go there seem to be swarms of flies around the bins.  Must be a bad year for them - or a bad year for us and a good year for the flies!!

[Dizzy]

When I clicked the link this morning the WBC website returned and error.  I just tried again and get this now so it would seem we can't fill it in yet.  Did you see what the questions were before it vanished Ann   

[Ann Raymond]

Well that's odd because when I clicked on it (after seeing the link on here) it didn't return an error.  i only looked at the first page as I was doing tea and was going to go back later, but there were definitely a few lines of explanation and a'next' button.  I even told my neighbour who was round it was on the website and he was going to fill it in.  Think someone uploaded it too early?

[Dizzy]

It was first thing this morning that I tried the link Ann and then again a few minutes before the time stamp on my image upload. 

Maybe they didn't expect people to be so eager to fill it in so have removed it until the start date on Monday after all they can't have it running for an extra 4 days instead of just the set 4 weeks can they or maybe they hope we will all have forgotten about the news story and link details by then

[Dizzy]

Everywhere I go there seem to be swarms of flies around the bins.  Must be a bad year for them - or a bad year for us and a good year for the flies!!

I knew I'd forgotten to upload something for you to see Ann.  The result of my 4 day fly experiment.... I hope you aren't squeamish.

 

Just think if one fly trap that smells no worse than a normal black bin can catch all these in a spotlessly clean small yard in FOUR days how many more must be breeding in all the bins that are left out in the backs round here with the lids slightly open or the rubbish left about or even dog poop that people never bother cleaning up.  Nice around Stockton Heath and Lower Walton eh

 

PS the large solid black layer at the bottom is dead flies in the watery liquid and nothing else and the bottle I am holding is a 2 Ltr bottle for size comparrison !!

 

 

[Dizzy]

Still on topic I suppose but some interesting reading and costs etc on how much Fly Tipping (ie rubbish not my fly trap) costs local councils and also a full breakdowns of costs and number of incidents/actions taken etc for each local authority too. (2012 - 13)

I thought Warrington would have had a lot more but clearly very costly to sort..... One report shows WBC's 'Estimated Investigation Action Costs' (for 684 actions) at over £22k with 'Estimated Warning Letter Action Costs' for 19 letters at a whopping £627.   


https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/251325/FINAL_Statistics_Notice_Fly-tipping_England_2012-13FOR_PUBLICATION-v2.pdf

and other breakdowns here

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/env24-fly-tipping-incidents-and-actions-taken-in-england

[grey_man]

I've read through the document online. It's not really a consultation at all. It's the window dressing for a fait accompli. 

[Dizzy]

Ah so the link is working and the consultation docs are again now then....?  I will have another look shortly

[Dizzy]

I've filled in the on-line consultation questionnaire but rather than just ticking the boxes which could have meant I was opting for a certain 'choice' etc just to make it clear I filled in every comments box too.  I wonder if they take the comments into account for the analysys & statistics or if they just count which boxes are ticked ?

I dont get the covering info page though as it says

" Our aim is to continue our excellent record of recycling and reach 70% by 2030, in line with new planned European targets. To achieve this the service we provide to residents will need to evolve. We need your support and ideas to help us shape the future of waste and recycling services in Warrington to maximise waste minimisation and recycling. "

and it then goes on to say

"We currently provide three community recycling centres at Gatewarth, Woolston and Stockton Heath for residents to recycle and dispose of extra household waste. Levels of recycling on these sites have rocketed from 4% in 1998 to over 70% in the last few years."

So why are they trying to reach a target and setting themselves 16 years to do it if they are already exceeding it ??
Maybe it's just me reading it wrong and being thick..........

[Evil Sid]

maybe that is why they are closing it. exceeding the target might lose them funding.

[Dizzy]

Maybe one of the councillors on here may understand what it means.  Speaking of councilors Geoff Settle isn't saying much on the topic infact I don't think he's commented at all.  I wonder why that is ?