Ealing's Recycling's Still Rubbish Says Councillor

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And has email exchange with another disgruntled resident

An Ealing Councillor got more than he bargained for when he applied for green waste bags.

Northfield Conservative Cllr David Millican, had paid £40 for the garden waste service for which you receive three bags. He ended up getting three deliveries of three bags - 9 bags.

He handed back 6 of them at Full Council in the Council Chamber (Tuesday 14 October) during a Conservative proposed debate on the Council’s waste and recycling service.

Speaking in the debate he said:

“Until this Council sorts out the dreadful service by the Amey crews and the appalling level of customer service, this Council will never make the big breakthrough to encourage more people to recycle.”

He has told us:

“You might enjoy this genuine email exchange with a Northfield resident last week -

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Dear David,

Here is a peachy example of how dysfunctional our lovely council has become.

Monday: Green recycling box disappeared. Ordered another one online. 

Tuesday: White plastic recycling bag appears on doorstep. Dial the Emergency Number as this is the only one I can find on their muddling website. Wait 12 minutes. Reorder a GREEN recycling box. "It will arrive tomorrow" says the Elf in Charge.

Wednesday: A SECOND white plastic recycling bag appears on doorstep. Attempt to go on line to place request no. 3 for GREEN BOX. Go to recycling website and encounter a question "Do You Live in a Flat?" I type "Yes" and immediately it cuts out saying it can't continue.

Comments?? All the Best,

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Dear xxxxx

I can almost top your story - I have recently signed up for the £40 garden waste service, for which you receive three green bags.  Without me making any further application I have now received three separate deliveries of three green bags, so I now have 9 green bags … words fail me.

If you give me your address I’ll gladly talk to the elf’s boss’s boss to arrange for a new green recycling box for you

 — David

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Dear David,

Well, Lucky Old You..........9 recycling bags is spectacular indeed. Perhaps we should do a swap, I'll have two of your green recycling bags for two white plastic recycling bags.......

I'm at [ADDRESS]........and will now get excited at the prospect of a green recycling box arriving before the weekend......(not much happens in my life, you see......)

Thanks very much!, All the Best, xxxxx

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Cllr Millican says ''I will bang this drum until the Council operates in the world in which we now exist.

''If private sector companies operated like this they would quite rightly go out of business. But, as we know, we operate in a municipal monopoly. Where frankly people don’t seem to think it matters”

 

We have asked Ealing Council for comment.

 

 

 

 

 

16th October 2014