Green bin issue divides community

 

The question of charges for green bins has divided our community with the new administration blaming the previous Tory-led administration for its financial situation.

We lived with a Tory-led council for decades with no problems and with HDC standing head and shoulders above other councils. 

Now we have a council led by a mishmash of independents and other parties.

Coalition-led councils and governments do not have a successful history.  

What is an Independent councillor? What are their political beliefs?  Who do they vote for in General Elections?

Turning back to the savings that HDC claim they will make by charging for green bins.  

Has this taken into account the following: rate payers putting green waste in other bins; massive increase in fly-tipping of green waste and the costs of removing this as well as the eyesore this will cause? 

If green and food waste goes into landfill won’t this increase global emissions and warming?

For those who live in town centres, with small or no gardens, who refuse green bins -  where does their garden and household green waste as well as their food waste go?

If people cannot, or will not, pay for green bins, will this mean a large increase in the traffic on Somersham Road and large increase in the footfall at Bluntisham Recycling site?   

It will certainly lead to a large increase in fly tipping.

My questions highlight the crazy way council tax is charged on various types of property.

I am open minded about the charge as we already pay for a second green bin.

I feel like I am mirroring the leader of the opposition at Westminster– all questions but with no answers.

Anthony D Barraclough

St Ives

 

Gardeners need green bins in winter

I read with interest the letters regarding charging for green bins. 

One of your readers said the there was no need to collect the bins in the winter as they are rarely  used. They are obviously not a gardener.

I fill my two green bins every time. Winter is the time of year to cut plants and shrubs back.

Pat Carlaw,

Ramsey

 

Take bin and don't bring back!

Local authorities are renown for muddle headed thinking and HDC is no exception. They can have my green bin back if they're going to start charging for the privilege.

Years ago, the Sunday afternoon 'tip run' was a regular feature of life, although many of a certain age could now use a weekday. 

I can imagine a lot of residents will say 'collect your bin and don't bring it back'.

Although those who decide to pay the extra might well find their bin a lot more full in the morning than when it was put out for collection the night before! 

Following on from that, some busybody will accuse them of being an unlicensed waste transfer station.

In a residential road with numerous properties, if all but one or two returned their bins, the collection truck and crew would still have to attend to collect the remaining bins.

Several local authorities do not collect green bins during the winter months, this releases crew members for other duties such as litter bins or even pot hole repairs. We pay the money so let's have some imagination from HDC.

Alan Griffiths