Once upon a time Ealing Council charged £20 to make a special collection (up to 8 items) but looking online today I notice that this has now DOUBLED - now it will set residents back £40 for the same service!Not only that - they charge £25 to remove 1 fridge or freezer!!!How come some other boroughs carry out this service for FREE ? Shouldn't the council be doing everything in their power to encourage residents to dispose of their unwanted items properly, not leave them on our streets?Of course some people can and should visit the dump to dispose of unwanted stuff, but how many actually bother?
Jean F Fernandez ● 3437d17 Comments
And I blame shops for shoplifters ! Phillippa please exit Cuckoo Land
Dennis Brogan ● 3424d
The problem is people. A minority of people.They may be individuals or they may be social housing landlords or private landlords or some of each. What about the number of people needing social care who aren't getting it? People who are unable to help themselves. Many of us would prefer that more money both from Government and and Council was allocated to this rather than to those who can but won't and don't clear up after themselves.There were several sizes of wheelie bins available (including a smaller ones despite a lot of denial). You can also share. People need to talk to their Councillors to get help in getting what they need. If they need an assisted collection then ask for one. Join together with neighbours to find best solutions.
Philippa Bond ● 3425d
Jean,Acton was then under Acton Borough Council,better system no problems,bad news when it became Ealing and of course,LABOUR,take the new London Mayor,Rubbish same as the Council!!!!!!!!
Dr John Stolworthy D.Sc ● 3425d
Well said,Dennis,the Council is RUBBISH!!!!!!!! regards John.
Residents Association is worth trying, don't have to attend meetings etc., the neighbours can be informed by mail of any issues and respond with their thoughts on the matter, I'm sure it would help and people would know who their neighbours were.
Janice Evans ● 3426d
Ealing Council was mentioned on Sky News this evening regarding the problems they face because of the amount of fly-tipping in the borough.I think it is high time thy get really tough on those responsible for leaving our streets in a filthy state!When I first moved to Acton about 38 years ago it was never like this!
Jean F Fernandez ● 3426d
Mattress manufacturers , consumerism , lack of residents associations ?? The cost has more than doubled ,our streets are filthy , Ealing was never like this ! Stop making ridiculous excuses and campaign to get this inefficient wasteful Labour Council out !
Dennis Brogan ● 3427d
Neighbours would have to show interest in such schemes, neighbourhood watch and resident's associations sometimes fail because people can't be bothered.Perhaps busy lifestyles are to blame.
Jean F Fernandez ● 3427d
The British can be too reserved. If this was another country we would know our neighbours better I'm sure. I'm surprised that there aren't more Residents Associations but maybe just saying Good Morning would be a start!
Philippa Bond ● 3427d
And the story on the front page about the care homes in LBE is one of the other important things that the Council deals with... PFIs which are something that both the Conservatives and Labour have used as a way of paying for big projects are proving costly. The deals tend to be complicated and different from each other and confidential. Perhaps it is time that there was more transparency in all these deals.
Philippa Bond ● 3436d
Once upon a time when people didn't buy so much and there wasn't all this buying on credit and there were fewer people and lots of space and everybody knew each other in a neighbourhood and families weren't so split up all over the country - and world - it was much easier to give away something to family and friends who valued having something handed on to them. Nowadays the youngsters all seem to want to buy everything new.The Councils have plenty of other areas of expenditure to deal with as well as waste and recycling (in the past nobody would have dreamt of throwing away or wasting as much as we do now) but despite this everybody things first and sometimes only of this as their function.There are plenty of people who will buy things on Gumtree or will pick up items offered on Freecycle or the other second-hand websites eg Preloved.The British Heart Foundation will collect items that they can sell free. www.bhf.org.uk
Would be nice if each street had a Residents Association, it would mean at least two people in the street taking on the task but the easiest way of bringing people together to get important issues dealt with amicably.
Janice Evans ● 3436d
Great idea of sharing the cost with neighbours, mind you nowadays how many neighbours does one actually know well enough to ask? Years age we knew most of thr residents in our street, sadly not any more. Signs of the times?Ealing Council should ask other boroughs how they encourage residents to recycle NOT put obstacles in their way!The garden rubbish collection system was very successful and FREE under thr previous administration but since the charges were introduced I'll bet tbat this is no longer the case! Also with fortnighly collections I notice numerous overflowing wheelie bins, and that is well BEFORE thr next fotnighly collection is due. Do they actually then collect stuff when the bins are overflowing? Some gardens appear to have rubbish piled up for weeks.
Jean F Fernandez ● 3436d
Regarding mattresses, its time for manufacturers to design ones that are easier to dispose of, maybe stacking mattress (a few thin layers) and can purchase how many layers you want, and then only have to renew the top one when the time comes, there must be other ways of making mattresses..No one really wants to use second hand mattresses with the fear of bed bugs etc., think Philipas idea of a few neighbours arranging one collection is the best way. Years ago people took pride in where they lived and would never have left rubbish on the streets like they do now.
It's another example of a stealth tax by this labour dominated council that care more about money than keeping our streets clean.Another is the absurd charge for garden waste. When you look at the state of the western side of the borough it's clear that waste and refuse is not a priority for this council.Our tax bills are substantially higher than neighbouring Hammersmith and Fulham and yet they seem to have more control of their refuse and waste system.
Richard Foster ● 3436d
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cardsloans/article-3539847/Household-debt-binge-hits-pre-crisis-levels-says-Bank-England.htmlNow if people just bought what they really needed instead of what they wanted or fancied and looked after what they had better then this might be lower. Unfortunately for those struggling with finances that's easier said than done. There are more people willing to give you credit at exorbitant rates than there are to help you when life gets harder and you are struggling to pay what you owe back.
Often people only have one item that they can't deal with.Owning a car doesn't have the same importance to people as it used to - in fact car ownership is actually now being actively discouraged so that makes it harder.Once upon a time people on benefit could have items like mattresses collected either free or for a reduced amount.It is easier now to use Gumtree or Freecycle where people will collect something that you don't want. However with mattresses it is worthwhile using a topper and cover to protect it so that you can sell it or give it away when you move/no longer want it. Nobody wants a sofa or mattress that has been left out in the rain. If you are thinking of buying a new one you should always see if the shop you are buying from can take the old one away. The more choices you have the better!You can try and share the collection with neighbours - easier if you live in a house divided into flats.
Philippa Bond ● 3437d