We are the unfortunate family outside whose listed home resides the communal bin to which Mrs Leeds refers.

We received a consultation questionnaire and vented our opposition vigorously, along with most of the other local NON multiple occupants. For the record, we are opposed to the bins on our street in principle and have never wanted to be reduced to nimbyism.

We had no response. At no point did we receive a visit regarding the site of this bin. It was dumped on us one day as a fait accompli.

All the points we raised in the said questionnaire have, in the couple of weeks since the bin arrived, been proved:

• It is an eyesore, being positioned directly outside our window (see attached photograph).
• It takes up a valuable parking space, as do a number of the local Z zone bins.
• I have personally witnessed flytipping.
• The elderly and infirm on the street are unable to use the bin and their requests to the council for the collection service have thus far fallen on deaf ears.
• Certain households are not bothering to use the bins. Their rubbish bags are piled up outside houses on the pavements and not being collected.
• The bin fills up and rubbish is left on the pavement right outside our front gate for the gulls to savage. This will stink in the summer thus making our frontage undesirable to use.

In addition to our points, further problems are:

• There is no foot-pedal thus making manipulation even more difficult for all PLUS adding health & safety issues concerning the dirty handle.
• The positioning of the lid means many people cannot reach it to close. I witness this daily. I am 5’6 and even I find it difficult to wield.
• The design has no soft-close mechanism which means every time the bin is used by someone tall enough, there is a noisy bang which has at times awoken my children and ourselves and without fail makes the dog bark.
• Where the parking space has not been cancelled, cars squeeze into the space nosing right up to the bin thus meaning that the bins cannot be emptied from one day to the next.

The effect on recycling targets has yet to be seen.

We feel that our quality of life has been diminished by this council decision (along with others they have made in recent times) and the responses of Cityclean and Councillor Theobald, which amount to ‘tough – just get used to it’ are nothing short of disrespectful and insulting.

We will not shut up and go away.

Janet & Seamus Haji, Upper North Street

Related Articles

1. Letters: Communal Bins
2. Letters: Letter To Councillor Geoffrey Theobald (Council Cabinet Member For The Environment) Regarding Communal Bins
3. Letters: Communal Bins
4. Local History: Communal Bins Arrive
5. Communal Bins Overflow