Some areas still to decide: Wheelies or no wheelies
Local people love the idea of plastic recycling, hate fortnightly rubbish collections and have divided views on whether wheelie bins or black sacks are better.
These were the views expressed in the borough-wide refuse consultation, which ran between 1 November 2006 – 3 January 2007. The consultation is already one of the largest ever recorded by Ealing Council generating a huge response with more than 10,500 homes taking part.
There were two clear favourites – option A (keep black sacks) and option B (one wheelie bin). Option C (two wheelie bins) and option D (fortnightly collection) were not popular and have been rejected.
The whole of Ealing (W5 and W13), half of Hanwell W7 (Elthorne ward south of the railway tracks) and Southfield ward (bordering Chiswick) in Acton have decided to keep black sacks.
In all other parts of the borough there was no clear decision. The council will write to homes in undecided areas this week asking people to choose between black sacks and wheelie bins before 13 March 2007.
Council Leader, Jason Stacey, said: “ It is essential when you run consultations that you listen to what people tell you. As a result, I am happy to confirm here that there will be no move to a fortnightly collection and we will add plastics to our household recycling service later in the year.
"People living in areas where people have not made a clear decision will receive a revised consultation form this week. We’ve reduced the number of options from four to two asking people to make the simple choice of either black sack or one wheelie bin. This should give us a clear indication in each area of what residents would like. I would much rather take an extra month or so and deliver the right schemes across the borough, than rush forward and implement a scheme when the consultation results are not clear.
Mr Stacey added: “One thing we have certainly seen from TfL’s consultation on the proposed West London Tram is that to run consultations and then effectively ignore the results does nothing for democracy or give residents confidence in public organisations. It is therefore important that we get this right."
It is possible that the council will run a dual rubbish collection system, with some areas of the borough having wheelie bins and others keeping black sacks. Although committed to giving as many people what they want, zones will have to be decided on practical grounds on a area basis rather than road-by-road and house-by-house.
The council will then make its decision in May before the service is introduced later in the year.
People in undecided areas (Greenford, Northolt, Southall, Perivale, Acton (except Southfields) and Hobbayne ward Hanwell) can also fill the survey online at www.ealing.gov.uk
February 12, 2007