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Darwen mayor: Rubbish on streets is disgrace

6:22pm Wednesday 10th March 2010 in News Photograph of the Author By Catherine Pye, Reporter

CONFUSION: Coun Paul Browne CONFUSION: Coun Paul Browne

RUBBISH mounting up on the streets of Darwen has been called “a disgrace” by the town’s mayor.

Coun Paul Browne wants to see better advice prov-ided and tougher penalties for offenders.

Newton Street, Pole Street, Lord Street and Richmond Terrace in the Sudell area have been singled out by Coun Browne as examples of how residents and the borough council are “not helping one another” over the confusion concerning recyling bins.

He said: “The bins are not being done properly. People are putting the wrong stuff in the yellow recy-cling bins and because of that, the binmen aren’t collecting them and everything is mounting up.

"In my opinion, two wrongs don’t make a right.

"It’s a disgrace and the attitude of the council is not helping.

"How are people supposed to know the rules and regulations when there are no letters going round?

"To leave the rubbish piling up is completely out of order.

"The binmen are not doing the job they are paid to do.

“It’s been going on for months and I’m fed up.

“It’s also unfair for the people who do put the correct rubbish in the correct bins.

“We need to start putting letters out, and then hand fines out to those who carry on not doing as they should.

“It’s the only way anyone will learn.”

Coun Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration and environment, said: “People have a responsibility to put their rubbish in the right bin and not put rubbish out for collection in bags or it will not be collected. “Bagged waste left out can become an eyesore.

“We are now clear of the winter crisis so we will take positive action and will issue fixed penalty notices to stop bagged waste being left out.”

Comments(17)

Little Diamond says...
6:51pm Wed 10 Mar 10

Same old public spirited Mr Cottam. Have you tried speaking to the public about the problem? Its amazing how talk works, all the major problems in the world are only solved by engaging in a dialogue.
Try it Mr Cottam if it works you may wish to use the same technique with the Blackburn Market Traders.
The conservatives are hoping to win the next election, not with the arrogant uncaring attitude you wont!

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hasnutts says...
6:54pm Wed 10 Mar 10

Another example of an eyesore is the half demolished, derelict building that used to be Paragon Engineering at the bottom of Cranberry Lane. Its a fire hazard and is not secured from kids and layabouts, broken glass all over the pavement, boulders piled in the bus shelter by yobs, bottles and cans strewn on the pavement. The owner seems to be sitting pretty because he doesn't want to spend any money clearing the site. Apart from being dangerous, its a disgrace. I've informed the police who say they know about it and have refered it to the council. I wonder who they'll refer it to?

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hasnutts says...
7:24pm Wed 10 Mar 10

Come on LET, get a reporter round there and see if I'm right. Someone needs shaming into getting it sorted before someone child or yob is killed or seriously injured.

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saabw says...
7:24pm Wed 10 Mar 10

"He said: “The bins are not being done properly. People are putting the wrong stuff in the yellow recy-cling bins and because of that, the binmen aren’t collecting them and everything is mounting up."

Wasn't aware we had yellow recycling bins!!!!!

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Excluded says...
8:10pm Wed 10 Mar 10

It wouldn't be so bad if the Coalition had not got rid of 12 litter pickers in last year's budget.

Fewer litter pickers employed, so there is more litter. Well there is a surprise!

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slackerbtch says...
8:22pm Wed 10 Mar 10

Excluded: if the folks of Darwen weren't so scruffy and had a bit of pride in where they lived.... you know... community spirit and all that... then there wouldnt be this problem in the first place. But ohhh no, its big old bully Blackburns fault.

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Darrens Delivery Service says...
8:45pm Wed 10 Mar 10

How about doing something about all the dam potholes and craters on all the roads and streets in Darwen coun Brown....Bloody disgace.

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A Darener says...
8:45pm Wed 10 Mar 10

Excluded wrote:
It wouldn't be so bad if the Coalition had not got rid of 12 litter pickers in last year's budget. Fewer litter pickers employed, so there is more litter. Well there is a surprise!
We wouldn't need ANY! litter pickers if people had more pride in their surroundings. Litter is dropped/dumped by inconsiderate, lazy, stupid people. Nobody needs to drop litter, it can all be discarded with thought and consideration for other people. Either by taking it home, or disposing of it in an appropriate place.

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happycyclist says...
9:23pm Wed 10 Mar 10

I'm no fan of Alan Cottam, but it's not his fault Darwen is full of litter -it's the trolls that live in Darwen who are to blame.
As A Darener says: stupid, lazy, inconsiderate people.

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CapitaBackHander says...
10:14pm Wed 10 Mar 10

The problem (other than scrouts!) is that the bins are collected by different companies and communication between them and council is a no no. Litter has always led to more litter so the councils current policy just doesn’t benefit the majority of folk they should serve. Say your neighbour leaves the grey bin out and they had a bag of non recycling rubbish on top the bin would not get collected,they moronically leave it out and other rubbish starts to get close by – council don’t remove this new rubbish or grey bin and it gets worse until well over a month the council come out. The same problem happens if I put my Grey bin out and someone from close by puts a big of rubbish on top – my grey bin is not collected. Fly tipped litter is not removed for months! Old tenants litter is not removed for months. If the recycling team don’t take the grey bin then the refuse team should be taking it on the same day or next week. VERY easy system to operate and recycling team would only need to slap sticker on lid. This would save loads of hassle and is far better way of saving money and man hours.
p.s. the guy in the picture looks like a TV aerial guy I saw last week - hope he fits aerials better than he drives!

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CapitaBackHander says...
10:18pm Wed 10 Mar 10

p.s. would this count as something the town council or mayor have done? I still need to know of one thing the town council have done. I see Melia is saying they have done loads but hasn't said what.
Quote me - The For Darwen Party are a bunch of lying good for nothing party. Bus Lane nah - yeah, look at this picture of our plans..... oh and have you seen the lights on Darwen Tower?

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Dai Darwen says...
10:18pm Wed 10 Mar 10

I wonder how Cllr Browne can pretend to be so innocent and point the finger at all and sundry. Which dictators made the confusing rules in the first place ? A Council body no doubt. The rules are confusing, who made them confusing ? Letters should be sent out but what is the point of sending letters to illiterates and illegals who do not understand the mother tongue ? Then the same old heavy handed solution - fine them heavier. This way the brainwashed complying tax payers will be taxed even more when the fines are not paid. If the bin men are not doing their job, though they will be doing as instructed by the same dictators then they should be taken to task. try taking on the unions - no that is a more difficult target. All this for all mouth and no action council members to get noticed near election time. There was never this confusion when it was one metal bin per household and shopping was in paper bags. Cllr Davies is Sudell ward and must be due another stint with the binmen.

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whereistedward says...
1:10am Thu 11 Mar 10

Mmmm...Councillor Browne is part of the 'coalition' running the council. He voted to cut 12 x manual street sweepers from our streets. He is surprised the streets are dirtier.
He also voted against putting extra resources into road re-surfacing.

Do the 'coalition ' Councillors actually know what they voting for / against ?It sems not !

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Davidoff says...
7:48am Thu 11 Mar 10

Hmm, how quickly Mr Cottam forgets how his council didn't empty bins for a month and half during the last bad weather period ... As to yellow bins? lol

Though it did not escape my notice - nor anyone elses for that matter because if I could see it so could they, couldn't miss it - but around the Sudell ward during and after that period there were stacks of black bags - and I MEAN mountains - the rear of some houses. Now, clearly that may have been because of the bad weather, no collections. Maybe Mr Cottam assume that people can simply store it inside, along with the rotting food that went uncollected (even recall someone from the council saying it was okay to put out food because the cold weather would keep it frozen ... erm ... clearly not heard that birds, foxes, vermin also need to eat if they can't get it out of the ground ... yep, you guessed it - straight for the black bags!). But is Mr Cottam the ultimate in Mr Contradictory at the council?

If no one collects the bins for over a month what the hell does he think is going to happen? Health and safety reasons they shout at the council ... put it seems everyone else can risk life and limb putting their wheelie bins out waiting for a collection that never came. Does he think people are not going to get fed up of wheeling them out, then back in like sheep and not leave them where they are outside? Obviously, Cottam lives in a nicer area where his bins are collected regularly.

Such as up towards Priory Drive. Seems tidier up there but over the same period I remember seeing a VERY large pile of black bags end of one street ... about five feet high, no exaggeration and instantly thinking 'do you not have wheelie bins?' But without collections ... there you go.

Council did not collect for weeks. Whose fault was that? The publics?? Or should the council automatically take responsibility ... probably better waiting for hell to freeze first. Mr Cottam was also the one who told everyone to 'dig for England' during the last bad weather period because HIS council were not farsighted enough to get enough grit in. A scenario we shall we again next year or this year end if the same happens again.

Also agree it's coming up to election time. On the other hand, if some people living in Darwen would simply stop chucking their lager cans, dirty nappies, God knows what else into the street ... perhaps actually learn and understand what a bin is for. Because it seems a large number don't know given the states of their neighbourhoods.

I also agree about the people putting their litter in your bins, then it not being collected. But does the council expect everyone to remain 'vigilant (a typical soundbite buzzword there)' and stay at their windows 24/7 to ensure this doesn't happen?

Oh, yes, then there's the local child yob element (they get younger each day it seems) who like moving the bin elsewhere, tipping it over, setting fire to it or worse. What's to be done about those? Seems we have no protection from such things but if anyone elses litter is found in your bin, or your bin is upended by yobs who is given the notice by the council? You are. Try pointing that out to the council, however, without proof.

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voxpopuli says...
9:05am Fri 12 Mar 10

What happened to the back street gates that were promised for Sudell? Another false promise? At least if we had those, it would cut out the yob element messing with bins and stop people fly tipping in the back streets at night.

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time.team says...
12:17am Sat 13 Mar 10

Watch out Paul! Janet Anderson is telling us how concerned she is about the litter on our streets and may be wanting to give your bin men a hand like Roy Davies did recently.
What a great idea that would be, perhaps she could also invite her son who she employs for us to see things as they really are for those who do the hard work.
-
Come on Janet, prove that you really do care!

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lwg76 says...
3:27pm Sat 13 Mar 10

The council have no real excuse for not emptying bins. During the bad weather I was given bags and told that the bins would not be emptied that day, a two bin day. I returned the burgundy bin to my store and was about to return the grey bin when lo! a dust cart hove in view.
This was for the recycling and was managed by a private company.
My grey bin was emptied.

Question, If the grey bin could be emptied why not the burgandy bin?

Answer, The council are ready with the Elf & Safety excuse with no financial penalties for non provision of the service whilst a Private company must perform or lose out.

The mountain of bags on Priory Drive was placed there at Council behest because strapping refuse operatives could not get down Cloister Drive to collect the refuse, it was too dangerous, so the residents including the elderly and infirm were told to carry the rubbish out instead.

By the way, refuse disposal is the responsibility of the Borough Council, who have been paid handsomely for the service not the Town Council.

Incidently I have just been on Google Earth to check the spelling of Cloister and what do I find, Street View, What does street view show, bins, bins, and more bins. You have my sympathy Cloister Drive. Nice artwork on the bins 66 & 31.

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