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Green bins complaint

HAVING read the report “More people are urged to go green” (SA March 30) I wondered whether Coun Keith Williams, cabinet member for StreetSmart, has used the green bin renewal system for which he is responsible.

I have used this system since it was introduced. Subscription renewal last year was a straightforward process which took a few minutes. This year was a different story.

I received an electronic reminder to say my green bin subscription was due and tried to use the link to renew it. Unable to remember my password I clicked the button for a new one to be sent. After three attempts no new password arrived.

Realising there was a fault with electronic renewal system I telephoned the council. After listening to the various options and waiting about 15 minutes for someone to answer my call I gave up.

I then sent an email to the Green Waste team to explain the problems which I had encountered.

I received a response saying there was a problem with my email provider account blocking activation emails. I was advised to use an alternative email address or telephone 01793 445501 but was told they were currently experiencing a high level of calls and there would be a waiting time.

I telephoned the following day and after another 15 minute wait was informed a new system has been installed and I would have to reregister all of my details.

I commented that it was a simple process to reregister last year and expressed my surprise that the original database had not been transferred on to the new system.

I was asked if I wanted to continue and reregister. After doing so I was asked if I wanted a receipt. Requesting an electronic receipt, like last year, I was informed it wasn’t possible to send one but I could have a hard copy by post. This arrived several days later.

Item 3 of Terms and Conditions states: “When your payment is received a membership sticker will be posted to you within 10 working days which must be displayed on the bin to ensure it is emptied.”

I registered on March 16 and received my sticker on April 3. An obvious question is: Why wasn’t my membership sticker placed in the same envelope as the receipt to save on postage and administration?

Coun Williams said: “This year we have looked closely at the service and adapted it to achieve the most reliable service possible.” This statement does not reflect my experience with the retrogressive administration process.

Swindon Borough Council fears the price hike for green bin users could result in less demand for the service.

Four years ago the green waste collection service was funded via council tax. It is now an optional extra which, with an increase of 25 per cent this year, costs residents £50 a year.

People who choose to pay for a service don’t expect to be messed around. Customers should not have to waste time and money on calls.

When encountering such obstructions many potential service users could be put off. They may decide to compost their green waste or have bonfires. They may just leave it in a heap to rot in a corner of their garden with the possibility of attracting mice and rats.

Any operational problems combined with the reduction in opening hours at the Recycling Centre may tempt unscrupulous residents to add to Swindon’s ever growing fly-tipping.

If Swindon Borough Council expects residents to pay to use their optional services they need to concentrate on efficient customer care.

MR K KANE Wharf Road, Wroughton

Plea to BMW staff

So all the BMW workers are going on strike because the Pension Fund is changing.

It could change even more if BMW decide to take all the work to Germany. Yes, people say it couldn’t happen. Remember they said the same about Leyland. Remember them? They used to produce cars but they are long gone.

That was as a result of Tony Blair. He wouldn’t step in to support Leyland and God knows they had enough strikes due to red Robbo, another Union leader.

Now we have another union leader of the same type encouraging the union members to strike regarding alterations to the pension scheme.

Will he lose any of his salary during this strike? Any part of his £140,000 a year? And that’ not counting the £400,000 that the union Unite stumped up to buy him a flat.

Just a little bit different to what his members pick up isn’t it? But never mind, if all the work goes back to Germany and all the poor suckers here are out of work good Old Len won’t suffer, there are always other mugs to pay him his salary and stump up for his apartment, and even for his expenses.

I have always believed in the old ways, keep talking. If you keep on talking long enough you can get some sort of a deal. It might not be great or exactly what you want but it’s better than no job at all.

How are you going to get over the amounts you will lose while you are out on strike? You can never make it up, it’s lost, gone.

Think it over yourselves, don’t be pushed into something that you can’t win. Just don’t get led up the garden path.

DAVID COLLINS Blake Crescent Swindon

Councillors’ role

REGARDING the letter from Terry Reynolds in the Swindon Advertiser for Monday April 3 2017 about councillors’ replies, I would like to make this comment.

I had an occasion to contact my local councillor - Dale Heenan - regarding a problem I and several neighbours wished to resolve.

I wrote letters using the post as well as posting a copy through his door, emailed him and used the telephone, and never had any reply.

Seeking guidance I wrote to the Law And Democratic Services Department at the Civic Offices and received this reply from the director and monitoring officer: “So far as correspondence with your local councillor is concerned, it was established some years ago by the Standards Board For England that it is entirely a matter for the councillor concerned as to how correspondence with a resident is dealt with and whether or not to respond to correspondence.

“There is no legal obligation on a councillor in this regard as it is up to the councillor concerned as to how they engage with their electorate.”

It would appear that most of the councillors take this view as replying means they have to think.

DENNIS GOACHER Swindon

Pensioners suffer

I RECENTLY bought a new 52-inch television with a recorder. Modern technology astounds and confuses me and I am thankful for my son’s help when I find a problem.

I would consider myself a quite intelligent human being but youthful help is most appreciated and much cheaper in a time of need than call-outs at your expense to rectify the problem.

The national press have exposed the disgraceful attitudes of some banks, regarding financial remuneration to their depositors fooled by online scams - many of them confused and elderly on their own.

In the meantime these banks offer paltry returns to their savers, all constant lifetime saving, hard working retirees - I am one of them. And the banks are milking it in, with the disgraceful credit card charges, not to mention the real Libor rates they are receiving for your hard-earned cash.

All of them are behind desks and computers, ruling the outcome of hard working people with families and pensioners financial situations.

A hard day’s work on a building site, or in a factory would frighten the life out of them.

The nearest of any of them get to a day’s physical work is passing a factory or a building site in their chauffeured limousines to line their pockets at our expense.

It’s time for a change Prime Minister May BILL WILLIAMS Merlin Way Covingham, Swindon

Under curfew

CRICKLADE and Purton non drivers have been effectively placed under curfew by Stagecoach and Wiltshire County Council.

The last bus that leaves Swindon for Cricklade is now 19:15. They have removed the 20:10, 21:40, and 23:10.

This means if you work late in Swindon, have a meal with friends, or are attending cinema/theatre, you have no option but to get a taxi home. The cheapest fare is around £12 when a bus was £2.50.

This means Cricklade is effectively cut off every evening from the services of Swindon.

Workers not doing 9 to 5 hours will be severely affected by this loss in public transport.

Young people from Cricklade and Purton will have no means of getting to and from leisure centres and cinemas, which could result in anti-social behaviour getting worse as they will have less entertainment options open to them.

Cricklade has had a last bus back from Swindon for the last 20 years at 23.10, providing people with a safe journey home late at night. Cost cutting has ended this essential service.

Stagecoach and Wiltshire County Council gave us only three weeks’ notice of these cuts and they went ahead with this on April 3, leaving no proper time period for people to complain/discuss this in their communities. Cowardice!

This is an intolerable situation and I urge those people affected to campaign against this curfew.

Write to your councillors and MPs and get them to fight for our vital bus services to be restored.

DAVID WILLIAMS Deansfield, Cricklade

Accept our country

I NOTICE a reply on my personal views on Christianity and Muslims.

I think I need to close the subject by saying I have no problems with other faiths whatsoever, so long they realise they have been welcomed here to live in our midst in peace and security, in the knowledge that first and foremost they accept our sovereignty as a Christian-dominated country.

That also applies to atheists and the like, who seem to think otherwise.

IAN HUNT Hill View Road, Swindon