Wednesday, 13 August 2008

Grandfather' s fury as binmen refused to walk 18 INCHES to collect his
wheelie bin


By Alex Millson
Last updated at 1:45 PM on 13th August 2008

A grandfather today launched a scathing attack on council binmen who
refused to walk 18 INCHES to collect his green waste.

Under council rules wheelie bins must be within one metre of the kerb
before they are collected.

But Gordon Morris, 70, said his wheelie bin would block the pavement if
he adhered to the rule, instead setting his bin 18 inches away on his
driveway.

Refuse collectors, however, in Southwick, Wiltshire, refused to take the
bin, as the rules had been broken.

Now, after a fight with the council Mr Morris has been granted special
dispensation to place the bin with only the wheels on the pavement.

Bin crews will now only have to walk an extra nine inches to collect the
waste from outside the £400,000 home Mr Morris has shares with his wife
Marion, 67, for 21 years.

The furious retired communications officer, who pays £1,800 a year in
council tax, said: "This means they will have to walk one metre plus
nine inches.

"It is unbelievable, the petty bureaucracy around these days.

"I have to have the wheels of the wheelie bin protruding onto the
pavement so they can see the bin has to be collected.

"The compromise is that I push it out so the driver and his mate can see
it but it will not block the pavement.

"They will now have to walk an extra nine inches to get my bin. I have
been given special dispensation. "

Despite his victory Mr Morris was also given a sharp warning by council
officials that his bin was too heavy.

He has been ordered to take some of the leaves and twigs out because
they may fall on operatives as it is being emptied onto the van "which
was a health and safety issue".

"I was told twigs and leaves could fall out onto the operatives and
cause serious injuries," he said.

Councillor Linda Conley, who has responsibility for refuse collections
on West Wiltshire District Council, said: "I shall be conducting an
investigation into this case."

She denied an accusation that the wheelie bin issue was 'petty
officialdom gone mad'.

She said: "We make every effort to collect bins in all sorts of
circumstances. We have a very satisfactory and comprehensive refuse
service.

"I am quite satisfied we are doing the best we can to facilitate the
best collection of rubbish we can in West Wiltshire."

A spokesman for West Wiltshire District Council said: "We now have an
agreement between the resident and refuse collectors over where he can
put his bin in future."

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