Rubbish pile grows over weekend ....

As predicted the rubbish pile has gotten bigger!. These picture were taken Sunday 9th March 2008 at 9pm. The rubbish is STILL there as I write this - 1.30pm on Monday 10th.

It continues, and action is being undertaken

The rubbish that has piled up over the last few days has been removed. However dumping continues. Now it is Friday so "god knows" how big the pile will be come Monday!

The Waste & Recycling Manager has replied to my earlier emails. He plans to get the Street Scene Enforcement Team to investigate and take action where necessary as they have the powers to do so.

Hopefully we as residents will now start to see a cleaner estate. Where we as fellow residents are afforded the correct respect that everyone else enjoys.

Thank you to Cllr. Greg Smith who indicated he would raise this as our local councillor. Clearly he is supporting us here.

Why are our homes, our estate being allowed to be a rubbish dump?

This was last night (6th March) and there is MORE rubbish piling up today.

The response for the council was to write to residents again!!!

I publish my response to this email "


With all due respect. You are more than well aware that this has been an issue since this scheme was introduced. I objected to initial consultation concerning the introduction bins wholly on the basis that it will create a rubbish dump outside our front door. Fly tipping was a problem before the bins went in. You have had several emails & photographs in support of this point since.

It is not that I object to having the bins on the estate. Recycling should be encouraged.

You seem to miss the fundamental point. H&F will stand a much better chance of exceeding the targets you mention. Of setting a high standard for other boroughs to follow. If you “win the battle of heats and minds” concerning residents. Clearly as far as council tenants are concerned you are failing here.

It is all well and good that Estate Services clear the rubbish away. But that takes time. From the moment the rubbish is dumped. The “rubbish tip” is already there. Also “passing the buck” here is very much a “closing the stable door after the horse has bolted approach”. I am asking for you to close the door before.

You seem to ignore the key point. The bin is a presence of the councils waste recycling collection system. If one person abuses it and dumps rubbish outside. It sends a signal that it ok for others. It encourages dumping.

Lets not be naive. Most residents are on board with recycling, including myself. However there is a need for a “carrot & stick” approach.

By all means applying the stick needs to be done gradually. By all means initially write to residents reminding them. However there needs to be a further sanction when your initial advice if ignored. You seem “scared to to this”. I am convinced the dumping has become a habit for those that do it. They can continue being selfish because the council isn’t going to do anything. It is weak.

Stop allowing us as council tenants to be seen as a sub-class in our community. The “well there only council homes so it is ok to abuse”.

I note your comments regarding compulsion on Goldhawk Road. In that case it does seem as if that is the “extreme” end of the stick. A measure to correct behaviour on an individual basis, that is missing. Will serve the council better. Target and amend the behaviour of selfish individuals whilst encouraging the wider community to recycle because they believe in it & the council facilitates and works “in partnership” with residents to achieve a common goal.

Thank you also for correcting your initial undertaking with regard to removal of problem bins. I understood thus far that where a bin was a problem the council was removing them. I would like to retain the bins on the estate. As pointed out in my objection. Where they are placed on the estate may go some way to addressing the issues I have raised since. The council ignored this point.

Given you have always written to residents when I have raised this in the past. That dumping continues. I have no faith in that form of action. It is “lip service”. Shows no results, doesn’t change the behaviour and is a waste of time & council tax payers money.

If you were to fine on person. They will talk amongst there peers. Don’t under value the power of “word of mouth”. It is certainly why this problem continues to exist today. Better the word was “we need to recycle properly otherwise we face a sanction” than “its ok to dump you rubbish outside William Banfield House”.

I will be posting this to my blog for general estate consumption."

Flytipping .. see how the rubbish gathers ...

With reference the previous 2 posts. It takes only one person to dump some rubbish. Than others see it as an oppourtunity to dump their rubbish. It just builds & builds and personally I am now sick of the entrance way to my home being a rubbish tip.

Thanks to Cllr. Greg Smith ..

For his prompt reply regarding the previous post & actions he will instigate.

Why are our homes, our estate being allowed to be a rubbish dump?

Fly tipping and private off estate residents dumping rubbish has been historically a problem on the estate.

Why are we seen as second class citizens and subjected to being treated as an extension of the councils waste management network? that is a Rubbish Dump.

I have raised this issue many times with the council since the recycling bins came in. The response has been that they will "write to residents, again" to make them aware of the rules with regard to the Recycling bins on the estate and the orange bag scheme.

The dumping of orange bags is tantamount to fly tipping in my view.

I call on the council to use the powers they have. Through fines etc. To correct this behaviour.

Clearly the letter writing is having no impact and is being treated with contempt.

Whereas I am keen to promote people to recycle. The council is loosing the battle of "hearts & minds" on this with respect to estate tenants who will request the removal of these bins purely on the basis that they DO NOT want to live amidst a rubbish tip.

I will email the powers that be, for the n'th time and feed back there plan to deal with this continual "bug bear"

Service Charges for Council tenants.

I heard a rumor. So I submitted a question to the council meeting 28th February 2008. Here is the question and answer.

Question.

"Does the current administration propose, during the course of its current term in office. To make an additional charge to council tenants, in addition to rent, for the provision of Estate Mainenance and up keep? If so, when?"

Answer.

"COUNCIL MEETING 28 FEBRUARY 2008 - PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

Further to the above Council meeting held yesterday which you were unable to attend, the Leader’s response to your question is as follows:-

“There have been no proposals put to my Administration either by Hammersmith & Fulham Homes or by Council Officers recommending separate service charging for services provided to Council tenants although of course council leaseholders are already separately service charged for a range of housing and estate management services”."