An old grump writing to moan.

 Grumpy

 Last week I sent this letter to the Bury Times. Stuff not being done properly makes me grumpy and I’d had enough. They’ve decided not to publish (as yet) so you may as well have a gander at my chirpy, yet damning verdict of waste collection services in dear old Rammy.  

 

A blue bin with rubbish to be recycled in it - for all you Visual learners out there....

Dear Editor…

I have held off from writing this letter for many months now, as I wanted to see just how ludicrous things would get before I put pen to paper. I think we may possibly have reached the pinnacle now, so I feel confident that things couldn’t possibly get any more disorganised with our waste recycling here in Ramsbottom. 

At the end of last year, a new recycling calendar was put through our door after the Conservative council decided to change the delivery routes to ‘improve’ things for us all. Two weeks later, I received a different calendar in the post (this time in a costly envelope with a first class stamp) with a note to destroy the old one as it had been delivered to our route by mistake. A glitch? No, it was just the beginning. 

 On the first run, they missed us completely. But I bit my tongue – we’re classed as a farm route and I can understand why the blue bin might be missed as we’re classed as being in an ‘awkward’ place (that’s the call centre’s description – not mine). 

Then came the snow. Lack of grit equals lack of road. Lack of road equals lack of collection. It was the beginning of February before my Christmas wrapping paper was on its way. At least this time though they got it right for the blue bin, but mucked up the paper. Bags were taken – but not replaced. Oh dear. More phone calls, new bags delivered. 

February was mostly fine, we all thought we’d settled. Until we had the same problem last week when the green bags were not replaced after collection again. Personally I’m ok, as I managed to pull one out of a ditch at the bottom of my hill that must have fallen off of the truck – I have no idea how many others may be bagless. 

And then to top it all off, today I received a copy of the recycling calendar – the same one I received three months ago in the post! What a waste of money, time and my patience. When the Conservative council promised to make things ‘easier’ by changing the routes, was this really what they had in mind? 

All it means is that it has strengthened my resolve to become a councillor myself, and I would like to thank the frustrated residents of my street for offering to nominate me in the upcoming election. I hope I would never make as much of a mess of something which should be so simple. 

Yours sincerely 

Paul Jenkins 

Ramsbottom Liberal Democrats

About these ads