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Woodley Town Council has been forced to hide the bins at Coronation Hall after illegal dumping
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Woodley Town Council forced to hide its bins after illegal dumping

By Jon Nurse
February 07, 2013

Persistent fly-tipping has forced the town council to hide some rubbish bins.

Months after the introduction of the borough’s waste and recycling scheme, dumped domestic waste is eating up Woodley Town Council’s funds – forcing it to move bins from public view.

The council has overspent its budget for emptying bins at Coronation Hall in Headley Road after just eight months of the financial year.

Councillor Phil Challis, chairman of the council’s leisure services committee, said: “We’ve noticed a general increase [in emptying town council bins] since the rubbish collection changes in the borough.

“It seems people have seen it as an opportunity to leave their rubbish and get someone else to deal with their problem. I’m disappointed. The council can’t afford to look after everyone’s waste.”

Wokingham Borough Council waste and recycling manager Pete Baveystock has committed to meet town councillors to discuss the issue.

Mr Baveystock said: “Fly-tipping is a serious offence punishable by up to two years in prison and between 2011 and 2012 there was a 2.5 per cent increase in cases across the borough.”

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The party system is the major problem with politics in our country. Many people vote for the same "party" in all elections without really looking at which party's candidate may offer the best policies in that particular election; A LibDem or labour candidate may offer something that is beneficial at a local level whereas one wouldn't trust them with the national economy. If one is opposed to the mission creep of the EUSSR, then one may vote for UKIP in the European elections but, maybe more tactically in the national elections.

In the last national elections which created the mess that is the coalition, I looked at all the major and minor parties' websites and found, to my surprise, I actually supported some policies from all the major and minor parties, including the education policy of the BNP!

I suspect that many people within our nation would like an "A la Carte" menu for political policies and perhaps, as IT develops and more people get online, we could move towards that goal. I think that modern technology has given people an ability to really question their democratically elected representitives and to communicate with vast numbers of people in ways I used to be only able to dream off: Modern web sites allow instant feedback and mass communication for better than aa "letter to the Times" ever could. I just hope that younger people take the opportunity to engage in politics and change it for the better.

Tonk, Wokingham
08/02/2013 at 11:51

Coucils and councillors should all be independent and have no political party membership in my opnion.

I think this would help drive the resolution of local issues. The only danger I can see is nothing will ever get agreed at council meetings as they are all individuals and not 'party colleagues'.

I only received a conservative leaflet. No sign of any other party. As Mavdo quite rightly points out the Lib Dems had their chance to win more votes over the new waste scheme and failed miserably. The Lib Dems nationally are about as popular as a poke in the eye.

I P Freely
08/02/2013 at 10:39

@Keith Baker - televised debate was for national elections covering national issues. The trouble with local politics is that people don't understand the difference and just vote with the usual flow. Independants don't stand a chance, when they would be fantastic for local issues.

Using social media won't really work because half the population doesn't use it (too old/don't care/don't understand/have seen it invade privacy etc), and the other half are too "cool" to be involved in politics.

@PC - as much as I would like to see the blue majority fall apart, and the only *party* to do that here is probably you, I don't necessarily support your policies. The one major drawback that the LDs have had recently is their sell-out to the Tories. I know that is a national issue, not a local one, but it will affect you and it has affected the way people perceive the words 'Lib Dem'.

mavdo, Wokingham
08/02/2013 at 09:51

PC

Thank you for your reply. I live in Wokingham and like Mavdo, I too only received flyers from the Conservatives. I was a dyed in the wool Conservative supporter until Mr cameron decided to consider the party his own and move away from our traditional views and values. I have since then loaned my vote to UKIP at every opportunity. I have not found a way, so far, to vote for my local Conservative candidates, be that at local, national or European level, without by implication endorsing Mr Cameron's leadership: this for me is THE biggest drawback of the party system we have in this country.

I am a keen follower of politics but, I feel so frustrated by our current political class that, in all too many cases, appear to feel that the electorate are there to be managed, rather than represented by them. I do not know you and you may be a very fair and reasonable man with old fashioned morals and integrity that used to prevail in our politicians up until twenty years or so ago.

Tonk, Wokingham
07/02/2013 at 19:20

Mavdo - you are so right

Woodley, is my patch and it has been a Lib Dem bastion for many years although the Conservatives campaign hard every time and I can assure you that Woodley residents get many leaflets from all parties. Some residents may well say too many!

Like you, I cannot understand why parts of Wokingham are so myopic, but without volunteers in these areas we cannot deliver - we just do not have the financial resources of the blue team! We also find the Press to have a certain bias towards the ruling party

Any offers?

Phil Challis, woodley
07/02/2013 at 17:27

@PC - there was a choice at the last election? Why didn't someone come round and tell me? Why didn't I receive *any* leaflets through my door except the Conservative leaflet? Why didn't anyone come round and knock on my door and tell me about their policies and why I should vote for them? Is it because you expect that everyone will vote Tory, and so there is little point in even bothering?

Come on now, 70%+ of people didn't even vote. Get just a quarter of them to believe you are the ideal person to receive their otherwise missing vote, and you're in! You can do your clever things that clearly wouldn't have challenge or be incorrect in any way.

The waste scheme proposal was *the* perfect opportunity to win votes away from the incumbants. There may be other similar ones recently.

All parties should make an effort to canvass for votes. You cannot expect to be elected without trying. If you don't try, you won't be elected, unless you are Tory (in this area).

It IS annoying, but a council with a default mandate will make foolish decisions without sufficient challenge.

mavdo, Wokingham
07/02/2013 at 17:18

Tonk

As a Lib Dem I can assure that I am not in least bit surprised. In fact this an example of exactly what we told the Conservative leadership at Wokingham Borough would happened when THEY implemented this controversial scheme

It is just very annoying.

There is a ruling party and an opposing party on the council - you should never assume that all councilors agree!

That's why we have elections where the is a choice.

Phil Challis, woodley
07/02/2013 at 16:42

Councillor Phil Challis and Pete Baveystock:

I don't want to tell you that I told you so, but I and many others on here DID tell you so.

If ordinary people like me could see this coming, why couldn't the great and good within WBC do so too? Could it be you didn't want to?

Tonk, Wokingham
07/02/2013 at 12:44

http://www.getwokingham.co.uk/news/s/2108280_flytipping_to_fall_after_peak_last_year

'Mr Baveystock ...... played down fears changes to household and garden waste collections being introduced this year will cause incidents of fly-tipping to escalate, saying other councils who have introduced similar schemes have experienced no additional problems.'

Nothing to see here.

Kevin Baker
07/02/2013 at 12:36

"between 2011 and 2012 there was a 2.5 per cent increase in cases across the borough" - and that's before the blue bag scheme started, right? It will be interesting to see what the figure is for the following year.

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
07/02/2013 at 12:17

So we have a 22% decrease in landfill rubbish from houses, but a 33% increase in that collected from public bins. So fly-tipping is on the increase because of the new bin bag scheme. No one anywhere predicted that, least of all on these comment pages, and definitely not me(!)

mavdo, Wokingham
07/02/2013 at 12:01

What a surprise! This isn't just happening to Woodley Town Council. Take a look at bins provided in the street and at supermarkets. Very handy if you have a piece of refuse which you know is going to rip open your blue bag. Other people's bins are worth money. Money is tight. People are resourceful. Find an alternative for the blue plastic bag.