Loads of Rubbish? Not Here, Thanks to Frontline Staff

The last few weeks have seen Councils taking a kicking in the national media over the issue of waste collection, with pictures of overflowing bin bags splashed across the news pages. It is very pleasing that we were able to avoid such disruption, which was largely a result of Councils struggling to keep up with collections due to the weather.

Residents in other Councils areas, including neighbouring Central Beds, were without collections for up to a month. The problems were often made worse by the fact that many areas, including Centreal Beds of course, have fortnightly rubbish collections, and so waste builds up if one collection is missed. We have retained a weekly collection in Bedford Borough, having fought of the attempts of the former County Council to impose a fortnightly system on local residents.

However, the key reason why the vast majority of Borough residents had their waste collected even during the height of the dreadful weather conditions was the commitment of staff to carry out their duties even in extreme conditions, and I want to take this opportunity to thank them once again. I chaired daily meetings of senior officers and key staff during the period of snow and sub-zero temperatures to ensure that the right strategic decisions were being taken to keep the Borough moving and keep people safe, and the reports I received about the waste collections were extremely encouraging. Double collections took place in the week after Christmas, including on the bank holidays, to ensure there was absolutely no backlog whatsoever.

Collections had to be suspended on only one day, at the height of the bad weather due to the hydraulic equipment simply not working in the -7 degree temperatures and the falling sheet ice from the top of the trucks! However, crews were directed to get out on the streets and clear pavements and grit paths. I went out to visit crews at work in what were dreadful conditions, and saw them working extremely hard. As I say, I want to thank them again for their efforts in support of residents across our Borough.