From Paul Clarke

Wednesday, 3 December 2014

I drove past the other day to see three - yes, only three - workers basically pottering around. No activity at the weekend so they are hardly doing loads for 400K.

Having endured the chaos at Sowerby Bridge tip can any of our elected representatives confirm that the tip will open before Xmas?

The reason I ask is I don't think the other tips can cope and for a grand plus a year as council tax payer it's not unreasonable to be able to use my local tip many months after it was destroyed.

From Tim M

Wednesday, 3 December 2014

Give the Council a break! What happened was hardly their fault - the actions of one individual. And they've done their best - extra collections, green waste etc. Plus I believe the bill will be picked up by Sita (and its insurers) not us council tax payers. Finally, the time its taken isn't unreasonable given that there was a criminal incident, insurance claim and procurement process to go through. I was only reading yesterday about householders somewhere flooded back in 2013 still awaiting payouts. Really, it's not always right to 'blame the council' - and no I don't work for them.

From Paul Clarke

Wednesday, 3 December 2014

Tim, I take your point but it is hardly a massive engineering feat is it?

Where were those extra collections? They may have happened but if they did then they were not very well advertised.

The whole project just seems to have drifted which sadly is often true of Calderdale/Halifax council.

From Tim B

Thursday, 4 December 2014

Paul, as Tim points out, Sita run the recycling centre, not the Council. Sita, being a private company, are allegedly much more efficient than the Council. I remain unconvinced.

From Ian M

Thursday, 4 December 2014

I've had a response back from the council following a freedom of information request for a breakdown of the repair costs. There is no information available because the costs are being met by Sita and their insurers.

Pretty much what I expected but still troubling. I find it impossible to believe that no one at the council has an idea of the costs involved and if they haven't then someone should damn well ask the question!

From Julie C

Thursday, 4 December 2014

I got a lift to the tip in Burnley this week, down near the hospital. It is very well organised, places for every sort of material for recycling, plus a skip for Bric a Brac, things that might still be useful. Two members of staff helped us unload the car, ans separate stuff, and the skips are at human level, no steps involved.

From Joe Ridley

Friday, 5 December 2014

I agree with Julie C: the Burnley tip . . . sorry, recycling centre is far superior to anything we've experienced at Eastwood. The staff at Burnley are helpful and genuinely interested in dealing with the stuff we want to get rid of.

Is there a chance that we can get Calderdale to learn from Burnley? . . . just saying

From Dave R

Thursday, 11 December 2014

Does anyone know the re-opening date for Eastwood yet?

We try to recycle as much as possible, but with SITA refusing our yoghurt pots, cardboard, polystyrene, packaging, we are accumulating quite a stock.

I did try to upcycle it all into an eco-friendly Christmas tree but sadly failed.

From Eleanor Land

Thursday, 11 December 2014

I visited Halifax tip with my husband this morning. We were the only customers, with a car full of cardboard boxes, bubble wrap and detritus from a house move. We are both pensioners, my husband has a bad knee problem. We were offered no help whatsoever. After emptying our car a young woman arrived with a few pieces of cardboard in her car, the three attendants were tripping over themselves to help her. Pensioners obviously aren't important enough to warrant help at Halifax tip.

I can't wait for Eastwood to re-open, although it won't be the same without Trevor's smiling face.

From Paul Clarke

Friday, 12 December 2014

Once again Calderdale manages another epic communications failure as with Xmas only a week no-one seems to have a clue when the tip might reopen.

We do have six councillors in the two wards it serves and I assuming they will have information that us citizens are not being given.

So I'm hoping they will be able to give us a date as we need the tip open for the deluge of Xmas rubbish.

From Cllr Dave Young

Saturday, 13 December 2014

Hi Paul,

I am led to believe the Eastwood Recycling Centre is to reopen on Tuesday 23rd December. It has taken far too long in my opinion but when a 3rd Party are involved it is out of our control.
Cheers
Cllr Dave Young
Labour Councillor
Calder Ward

From Steve Sweeney

Saturday, 13 December 2014

The recycling centre is due to reopen on the 23rd December and is currently on target. Sudden deterioration in the weather may cause delays however.

From Paul Clarke

Saturday, 13 December 2014

Thanks Dave. Good news.

I'm not being in any way critical of our councillors here as I have a real sense you are all frustrated about the pace of progress. I also take your point it is a failure by the third party

But I wonder what the officers are doing as we have right to be kept up to date on here, or via other media, and this lack of dialogue with us as council tax payers is all too common.

From Jenny B

Sunday, 14 December 2014

Can you imagine the ensuing chaos caused by this delay. What an absolute farce to open the day before Christmas Eve, when most of us will be too busy to take our stuff to the tip. I for one will avoid it for at least 2 weeks rather than face the inevitable queues to get in and queues to the skips. The delay may be out of the control of our council, but they obviously knew of this, so why not tell us!!

From Andy M

Sunday, 14 December 2014

It has to open sometime! The 23rd is as good a day as any.

From Andy M

Sunday, 14 December 2014

No queues when I went yesterday . . . maybe everyone was too busy? ;-)

From Dave R

Monday, 29 December 2014

I would say you were lucky Andy. It was very busy when I went.

Having now seen the newly rebuilt set up, I feel that delays in re-opening were even more ridiculous. I also agree that to open only 2 days before the busiest period of the year was bad planning. Many people will like me, have saved their waste, add this to the extra waste expected after Christmas and I can see the queues extending.

I really dislike the method of climbing steps with your arms full of waste, and I fear that those less sure-footed, will slip in wet/icy weather.

I didn't see any visible offers of help during my visit, but hopefully this may improve with time.

Meanwhile, our own recycling team deserve a pat on the back for taking the extra waste, particularly packaging, during the closure.

From Ian M

Tuesday, 30 December 2014

Whilst dropping my recycling at Eastwood this morning I inquired which container was best to put wrapping paper in, the response astounded me!

Apparently it is not financially viable to recycle wrapping paper so it goes to general waste. So all that paper from Christmas is going to land fill because Sita can't make a profit on it!!

From Paul Clarke

Wednesday, 31 December 2014

Whilst I share the concern's about our hopeless council's failure to get the tip open sooner that is hardly the staff's fault is it?

I went to the tip twice this week and on both occasions I has excellent customer service. All my questions were answered and I found the team to be very helpful indeed.

I was dropping off some busted laptops so I asked which area they went in. The team member said to me 'I'm going that way so I'll take them.' I also saw two team members help a woman carry a heavy bin full of building rubble up the steps.

So can we stop having a pop at the team as they are helpful and cheerful despite standing out in the cold and wet all day long. I wonder if some of their critics would be as helpful if they were freezing and wet?

As for the design of the tip what is the alternative? Dig pits to put the large containers in so we don't need steps? Maybe but at what cost and is this feasible on that site?

I am nearly 50 and am perfectly capable of hauling a mattress up a few steps to stick in general waste. If I wasn't I would open my mouth and ask for help which based on my experience this week would be forthcoming . . . simple really.

See also:

HebWeb Forum: Free Trevor Lewis