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Gardener kept waiting months for waste sacks
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| Heather Wood suffers from arthritis |
A KEEN gardener has been kept waiting for months for her garden waste refuse sacks because of a series of errors by Cotswold District Council.
Heather Wood, who lives in Stratton, Cirencester, originally applied to sign up to the council's new waste scheme in November, requesting the option of the sacks over the green bins.
Despite being more than willing to pay the £30 annual fee, the 63-year-old claims the council repeatedly ignored her and has called up monthly to pursue her application.
In the meantime Heather, who suffers from arthritis, has been forced to lug her garden waste up to the tip.
"It is absolutely ridiculous," she told the Standard. "This whole new waste scheme has been a complete fiasco.
"They bring in this new scheme and here I am trying to participate and they just ignore me. Once I can understand but I have spoken to four or five different people and they can't sort it out."
The £30 annual charge for people who want to have garden waste collected was introduced by CDC in October with the hope of increasing the district's recycling by up to 20 percent.
Many people criticised the scheme saying they would be effectively paying twice for the same service.
Heather added: "At the moment when I mow the lawn I put it in a plastic bag and put it in the bin, although I can only do this until the summer when they will be picking through the bins looking for just this type of thing."
A CDC spokesperson said: "Mrs Wood has signed up to the green garden waste service and an invoice has now been sent to her address by the council.
"We'd like to apologise to Mrs Wood for any inconvenience caused by the delay. The council has received thousands of requests for this recycling service so it is understandable that the odd one will get lost in the system."
Have you had trouble with your new garden waste bins or refuse sacks? Post your comments below
4:04pm Tuesday 6th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Rodneyhiggs, cirencester on 7:12am Wed 7 May 08
I think heads should roll within the CDC, the whole restructuring of the new waste scheme has been a complete botch from the start, firstly CDC stated to few people had signed up for the new £30 rip off garden waste scheme, then they could not supply all the new wheely bins in time for the start date in April. CDC have succeeded in confusing all households in the area, I personally have signed up and paid my £30 but because I have not got my licence yet they refuced to empty my bin this week. This is a typical mess and the CDC do not seem able to sort the system out. Why did they have to change because it is costing an absolute fortune for a second rate service.
I think heads should roll within the CDC, the whole restructuring of the new waste scheme has been a complete botch from the start, firstly CDC stated to few people had signed up for the new £30 rip off garden waste scheme, then they could not supply all the new wheely bins in time for the start date in April. CDC have succeeded in confusing all households in the area, I personally have signed up and paid my £30 but because I have not got my licence yet they refuced to empty my bin this week. This is a typical mess and the CDC do not seem able to sort the system out. Why did they have to change because it is costing an absolute fortune for a second rate service.
Posted by: Darren, Cirencester on 9:24am Wed 7 May 08
Why hasn't Cllr. Mark Tufnell resigned over this whole fiasco ?
Has he been too busy with his own planning application at Calmsden Manor or is it his new appointment at the Estate Agent's in town that has clearly kept his eye off the ball ?
Why hasn't Cllr. Mark Tufnell resigned over this whole fiasco ?
Has he been too busy with his own planning application at Calmsden Manor or is it his new appointment at the Estate Agent's in town that has clearly kept his eye off the ball ?
Posted by: Steve, Bibury on 12:34pm Wed 7 May 08
In Bibury we've had some green bins collected but others, including mine, left full of garden waste - even though we've paid our £30.00.
We're trying our best, but when the recyclers return to us the cardboard in our black box we get confused. There are no blue sacks for it, so what else should we do?
In Bibury we've had some green bins collected but others, including mine, left full of garden waste - even though we've paid our £30.00.
We're trying our best, but when the recyclers return to us the cardboard in our black box we get confused. There are no blue sacks for it, so what else should we do?
Posted by: Jane, Beeches Estate. on 10:20pm Wed 7 May 08
We have paid our £30 and the Council confirmed that they have a record of this, but still our green bin remains unemptied as the official licence cant be displayed because we have still not received one. We feel this is totally unacceptable. To be charged for a service and then have bins left full of waste, has the council any idea how we dispose of our overflowing bin?
We have paid our £30 and the Council confirmed that they have a record of this, but still our green bin remains unemptied as the official licence cant be displayed because we have still not received one. We feel this is totally unacceptable. To be charged for a service and then have bins left full of waste, has the council any idea how we dispose of our overflowing bin?
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