Information Sessions about Controversial Changes to Recycling Collections

Click on poster to enlarge

Many constituents have contacted me over the last week to complain about the new recycling arrangements to be introduced in The Ferry. 

The issue which has been most often raised with me is the removal of the collection service for glass in the Green Boxes. In future residents will be encouraged to take their glass bottles and jars to "Bring Sites" after the Green Box glass collections are withdrawn.

Hard pressed householders coping with substantial increases in Council Tax are unhappy that the existing service is being cut back. I don't blame them and share their reservations.

I am particularly unhappy that frail elderly residents will be expected to carry their glass recycling to a "Bring Site". Sheltered Housing residents in Forthill Drive raised this with me a potential hazard for older residents, especially if they were to fall over with glass in a shopping bag.

On Tuesday and Friday evening this week there are "Information Sessions" at Forthill and Craigiebarns Primary Schools. I hope residents will take the opportunity to try to get these issues resolved street by street.

Five Drop-In Roadshows to Sort Out Broughty Bin Queries in Week Beginning Monday 16 March 2015

Over half of the homes in Broughty Ferry will be shifted over to a new pattern of recycling and waste collections before the end of the month. Each household in the first phase of the new scheme should have already received an introductory letter about the changes and how it might affect them. 

This will involve new collections of household food waste in sealed containers and a change to additional bin collections and recycling containers. For those households that can't accommodate the new 'bins' there will be an offer of shared communal euro-bins and improved local recycling centres.

Roughly speaking it is the Eastern half of The Ferry which is in phase one. Click on this link to see map showing which parts of Broughty Ferry will start their new recycling services later this month.

If you or your neighbours have further concerns and queries, you can take advantage of the five drop-in sessions in week beginning 16 March that have been arranged at Broughty Ferry Library:

• Monday 16th March 10am - 12pm
• Monday 16th March 5pm - 7pm 
• Wednesday 18th March 12pm - 2pm 
• Friday 20th March 10am - 12pm
• Friday 20th March 5pm - 7pm 

all at Broughty Ferry Library Queen Street, Broughty Ferry Dundee DD5 2HN

Of course, if you or your neighbours have remaining issues that can't be resolved directly with the Environment Department, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Consultation Meeting on New Bins in Barnhill

Last night North Barnhill Tenants' and Residents' Association hosted a consultation meeting about the introduction of changes to bin collections in their area.

The meeting, held at Barnhill Primary School, was well attended by residents who wanted to find out more about which new recycling collections were to be introduced in week beginning 23rd March. Additionally, they wanted clarification about which new recycling bins might be available for their homes or communal areas for flatted accommodation.

The meeting was addressed by a member of staff from the Environment Department. While most questions were clearly answered, it was evident that not all residents were convinced that they could cope with the storeage of the extra household bins. 

There are also remaining uncertainties about how the detailed arrangements can be sorted out over the next two weeks before the extra recycling bins are distributed on our streets.

In addition to Abercromby Street, Aberlour Place and Abernethy Road, most of Broughty Ferry is also in phase one of the new recycling collections. But houses west of Church Street, Forthill Road, Balgillo Road East and Linlathen Drive are excluded from the first phase rollout. Ferry folk, not in the first phase may be relieved that they are not going to be the guinea pigs.

More details of the changes which are to be introduced, are available at:

http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/recyclefordundee

Update on Changes to Bin Collections and Recycling in Broughty Ferry

Manufacturer's illustration of
1280 litre communal bins ordered
by the Environment Department

At the Environment Committee last night, the Committee approved the purchase of additional communal recycling bins for householders in Broughty Ferry and the West End at a cost of £106,940. 

Both areas of the city are in the planned first phase of the new fortnightly general waste black bin collections along with more collections of waste for recycling. These new collections are planned to begin in March of this year.

Along with two other opposition Councillors, I used the opportunity to quiz the Convener of this Committee, Councillor Craig Melville about progress with the promised consultation with community organisations and with householders prior to the switch to the new services. 

These consultations were meant to ensure that residents are given a choice about which of the new recycling containers they can accommodate. In addition, in flatted accommodation, householders as groups are meant to be able to choose the most acceptable communal recycling and waste bins for their close or block. 

I also asked the Convener whether there had been any progress with making up one calendar for all the Domestic Bin / Recycling Container Collections. I wanted to avoid householders having to check four or five calendars from the Council to work out which bin to put out each day. I reminded the Convener that I had raised this issue at a previous meeting. He assured the meeting that work was ongoing on this and this should be ready for the changes in Broughty Ferry.

With only eight weeks to go before these changes apparently are being introduced, I was not entirely satisfied by the Convener's assurances that the consultations are as thorough as promised and that it will all be fine when the fortnightly kerbside general waste collections along with more recycling collections are introduced in The Ferry.

Any residents who would like to be consulted about the new collections and which of the new recycling containers they can accommodate should contact the Environment Department via Dundee (01382) 433710