THE policy of charging £30 for a replacement wheelie bin if one is stolen or damaged should be scrapped according to Warrington North MP Helen Jones.
She is calling on the borough council to re-think its refuse bin replacement policy following concerns expressed by residents.
During the past few months she has received complaints from people who have had their bins stolen or vandalised and been told that a replacement will cost £30.
Helen (pictured right) said: “It cannot be right that people who have been subjected to a crime are then charged, to the tune of £30, for a replacement bin. This is particularly the case when the council instruct people to put their bin on the pavement for collection.
“I know that councils are facing financial cut backs but it is simply not right for them make people pay for crimes committed against them, particularly as I understand the bins are deemed to be the property of the borough council.”
The MP said she understands the policy is being reviewed and that she hopes it will be scrapped.
She said: “£30 is a lot of money for a pensioner or for cash strapped families struggling their way through the recession.”
MP calls for bin charge to be scrapped
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
5 Comments
That;s Labour’s Helen Jones again criticising Warrington’s Labour Council – the other parties don’t need to campaign – just let carry on fighting themselves! – perhaps she hasn’t noticed Labour are in charge 🙂
If the bin is deemed to be the property of the council then it is the council who have been the victim of a crime when one is stolen or vandalised, so it should be up to them to report the crime to the police and deal with their own insurers (if they have one) to get the loss made good.
Perhaps if people brought them in after being emptied this would’t happen instead of bellyaching when they disappear including being set on fire and the problems that causes
Our bin must go out by 6:30am according to the WBC website – so it has to go out the night before – but often doesn’t get emptied until well in the afternoon. WBC could prevent this if they so chose by telling residents to within a couple of hours when the bin wagon will be round each street, but that would be far too sensible wouldn’t it.
The charging policy has now been withdrawn . Any one charged for a replacement bin will now be refunded. This was agreed at the 17th December meeting of the council. Pity this was’nt looked into before going to press