More uselessness from DBC

[John Wright]

1 hour ago, Happier diner said:

But it tickles me that someone who is sunning themselves in Spain and others on here have cheese in their ears and blindfolds on telling us there is no fuss.

I’m not “sunning” myself. Today is the first day since I left home on 5 January  That it’s been warmer where I’ve been than at home. It’s at 700m here. There’s a 6° temperature gradient between the coast & here.

Im not blocking my ears, blindfolding myself, or saying there’s no fuss. There’s an inordinate amount of noise made by a very small number of people. That’s fairly typical.

I, for one, can think of better and more important things to get worked up about and campaign for.

[Happier diner]

25 minutes ago, John Wright said:

I’m not “sunning” myself. Today is the first day since I left home on 5 January  That it’s been warmer where I’ve been than at home. It’s at 700m here. There’s a 6° temperature gradient between the coast & here.

Im not blocking my ears, blindfolding myself, or saying there’s no fuss. There’s an inordinate amount of noise made by a very small number of people. That’s fairly typical.

I, for one, can think of better and more important things to get worked up about and campaign for.

Me too. That was the point i was making. But I was also saying that there are a large number of people who are still raging. 

Ps I was only nobbling you about the sun and the maths. 

[Gladys]

4 hours ago, WTF said:

no, cos DBC never look at facebook do they ............................................

It is a bit like standing on the corner by Colebournes shouting about your issues, DBC staff are bound to walk past aren't they?

More to the point, they have to be shown the exact issues that are causing a problem so they can address them.  A general statement like "people are putting waste in my bin" on social media doesn't cut it, but a direct communication giving the location, particulars of the issue and the ability to clarify would.  

[Happier diner]

1 hour ago, Roger Mexico said:

We can have a fairly good idea.  There were 26,677 people living in Douglas in the 2021 Census and they were in 11,806 separate households.  So John's 30,000 is maybe a bit over, but there will also be some people affected such as Douglas business owners, landlords etc who don't live in Douglas.

As for Facebook, about 66% of UK residents use it regularly, and I could see the figure being a bit higher if anything here.

I think the 66% has come down recently.

But if you divide 30000 by 2.5 and then again by 66% then the 1600 petition becomes significant. No matter how you argue it. 

[Cassie2]

Karel ver Elst  https://www.facebook.com/groups/940207443613790/permalink/979644416336759/          

I was a little surprised to receive a ”friend request” from someone I have never met. Before accepting, I “googled” the person as their Facebook page was almost completely empty and looked like it may have been fake. The Google search indicated the the person in question is quite a senior member of the Douglas Borough Council. As I don’t want to be vindictive and cannot be sure why this person suddenly wanted to “befriend “ me, I have decided not to disclose their name. I did, however, send them an answer- click on: “see more”

“Hi **********

Thank you for sending me a friend request.

I understand that you work for the Douglas Borough Council, so you are probably aware of me because I am one of the more vocal opponents of the council’s extremely unpopular policy to reduce the regular waste collection by 50%.

Not sure whether you agree with your councillors or not. I imagine a good number of the civil service do not support this. Be that as it may, I am not particularly important in the group. Amazingly, the council has found a way to turn the overwhelming majority of its residents into activists and remind them of this almost every day when they try to empty their bins. An incredible “own goal” if ever there was one.

If you were to “check out” my profile, you might discover that I am a passionate environmentalist. I was one of the first people on the island to register an electric car. I personally support a small plantation in Malawi which offsets carbon emissions by planting fruit trees which also feed the impoverished local community. There are a number of other personal initiatives which I have set up but do not shout out to the world about because I am a private person.

I am vehemently opposed to your council’s approach to waste collection because it has been handled so badly. Trying to force residents to recycle by inconveniencing them is just about the worst thing the council could have done to encourage recycling. It is arrogant and patronising. Moreover, it won’t work because there is absolutely no chance that the current council won’t be ousted at the very next election. What will follow is a council that has no time whatsoever for environmental issues, which is sad. We live in a highly polarised time and if we now have a “militant” council that is happy to force its policies on a population in this way, the pendulum is sure to swing the other way as well.

Moreover, when the new council takes over, it will do so with a strong mandate from the electorate. The current council has not approached the issue of recycling in a sophisticated way, resorting to brute force rather than creating incentives. Incentives need not have been financial - although that works well elsewhere in the world - they could have come in so many other forms.

I am sorry your council has made such a mess of things. I am sure there is a way out of this, but it would require some honesty and humility. I doubt your councillors, who appear to live in the bubble of the small number of activist supporters who voted some of them in, have the capacity for this.

The council really needs to go back to basics and consider their core function: to provide a good quality service in a cost efficient manner to the rate payers. If these services were not required, no council would be required either. If there is a way that the council can discharge this primary obligation in a manner that is better for our planet that is great, but if they do so at the expense of discharging their primary obligation, then this will be doomed to fail. It’s that simple.

[John Wright]

32 minutes ago, Happier diner said:

I think the 66% has come down recently.

But if you divide 30000 by 2.5 and then again by 66% then the 1600 petition becomes significant. No matter how you argue it. 

Your statistics and analysis is even worse than you suggest mine is.

[John Wright]

27 minutes ago, Cassie2 said:

Amazingly, the council has found a way to turn the overwhelming majority of its residents into activists

Mmm! Never overstate your cause.

[Zarley]

2 hours ago, John Wright said:

I’ve found the biggest difference in my behaviour is crushing empty cartons, plastic bottles  and cans.

^^^This! 

My daughter moans because she goes through so many kitchen bin-liners every week. She never crushes any cartons, plastic bottles or anything else that can be easily reduced in size. I can't convince her to do otherwise. She might see the light if bin collections in our area were reduced.

[Happier diner]

2 hours ago, Happier diner said:

I think the 66% has come down recently.

But if you divide 30000 by 2.5 and then again by 66% then the 1600 petition becomes significant. No matter how you argue it. 

How so?

1600 in 7920 is 1 in 5. That's a significant proportion in my book. 

Edited January 14, 2023 by Happier diner

[CallMeCurious]

5 hours ago, Roger Mexico said:

It's not that recycling collections aren't taking place, it's that they're picking up more than expected.

Which shows a complete lack of foresight considering this was presumably the whole purpose of reducing regular waste collection to encourage recycling. Having been stuck behind a DBC recycling truck it looked very labour intensive. Basically two guys walking back and forth each time with a fairly small box each time (no doubt for H&S reasons). Wonder if they get paid anything for it or is it more a case of not having to pay regular waste charges at the incinerator? 

I don't produce enough waste to fill the regular bin anyway, including recyclables but I do miss having a domestic energy from waste plant though.   

 

[Gladys]

2 hours ago, Zarley said:

^^^This! 

My daughter moans because she goes through so many kitchen bin-liners every week. She never crushes any cartons, plastic bottles or anything else that can be easily reduced in size. I can't convince her to do otherwise. She might see the light if bin collections in our area were reduced.

I have a can crusher, it  flattens every can.  They don't crush so well by hand or unaided foot.  Cost about £20. 

[Gladys]

On 1/13/2023 at 3:53 PM, Cassie2 said:

Bin Despots - paid for by us

https://www.facebook.com/groups/940207443613790

Scotty Williams

Because we live in an area with a number of residential properties and apartments/flats we are having the added issue on top of fortnightly collections of others dumping their rubbish in our allocated bin. Not all individual properties have their own bin which would help matters. Our bins are emptied on a Monday, and our bin is normally full on a Tuesday before we have even had a chance to put anything in it.
If we are not able to put our rubbish in our bin we will at least try and put it in a bin that has space before we then take it to the Eastern Amenity Site or worst case to my partners parents house and put it in their bin. We have not, and never will just dump a bag or rubbish of any sort on the ground next to the bins!
Around 18-24 months ago before the fortnightly collections even began, I rang up about people dumping their rubbish in our bin to lodge a complaint. It happens constantly!
I was advised that I could look through the rubbish in my bin to try and find something that would indicate the name or address of the person that was dumping the rubbish and they could look into it for me. I said I wasn't willing to do this due to not knowing what could be in the bags (sharps or contaminants) and they should come and do it themselves. I asked what they could do to stop this going forward and they said they could put a lock on the bin but there was a charge for that. I advised I didn't believe that I should have to pay anything additional to ensure I could use my own bin that I already pay my rates for.
Roll on 18-24 months and we are now reduced to fortnightly collections with no reduction in rates to reflect the reduction in the service they provide.
Today at 10:15am there was a buzz on our intercom. Normally we would both be at work.
My partner went to answer the door but no one was there. She came back to the living room and as she was about to sit down there was a knock at the internal apartment door.
On my partner answering the door, she was met by two people from Douglas Borough Council who were inside the communal area of our property without invitation, a blonde woman and a man that must have been at least 6' 10".
After my partner confirming her name, the finger pointing started straight away with me trying to listen to what was going on best I could from the living room with the front door closed over.
After finding some rubbish which had my partners name and address on it on the ground next to the bins the blonde woman had become judge, jury and executioner and had come to the conclusion that my partner/our household had dumped rubbish on the floor next to the bins. My partner a little taken back and feeling intimidated didn't really know what to say other than to apologise and try and explain that we don't dump our rubbish. 
I went to the door and called my partner back inside from the communal hallway and I will be honest, they didn't get the best side of me this morning after very little sleep and hearing the accusations being thrown at my partner.
As the property owner, I asked them to confirm who they were and what the issue was and was met with the same line of questioning and accusations that they had "evidence" that my partner/our household were dumping rubbish.
I explained that while they may have found what she referred to as "evidence" (that evidence being something with my partners name on at the side of the bins) it was not proof that she or our household were "dumping" rubbish as she referred to it as. It simply means it was not in the bin we placed it in originally and rather than asking why we thought it wasn't in the bin and could we explain how we thought this may have happen my partner was firmly accused.
I explained that I had contacted them previously about people dumping rubbish in our allocated bin and nothing was done by them, I had asked about a lock but when advised on the additional cost i had refused to pay on top of my rates to stop people dumping their rubbish in our bin, I also advised that if we are unable to put things in our bin or another available bin we always take it to the tip or a family members house to put in their bin. We under no circumstances dump kerb or bin side and didn't appreciate the accusations being made.
I was then quizzed as to whether I had attended the meeting about the Fortnightly Collections. 
This was met by "well we have the evidence and it's my job to challenge these things". No, it's your job to investigate these things, gain ALL the information before speaking to the parties involved to get their side. Not enter the property without invitation and stand and accuse someone straight from the get go with what you believe to be concrete "evidence".
I also don't want to stand there and hear how hard your job is, how many pairs of rubber gloves you've gone through during the course of your morning so far, how many bin bags you had had to lift from the lane next to our property (14 bags in case anyone is wondering), other nearby streets or properties or that you have to stand and take abuse from EVERYONE you speak to (just to add, in my case I don't feel I was abusive to you, but I was firm in making my points and will not stand by and have my partner or myself accused of something that is not true and will not be intimidated by your 6'10" minder who is likely there to make sure you are ok after you have pointed the finger and accused others with your condescending tone). If you don't like your job or you can't do it without coming to the wrong conclusion or casting aspersions, don't do it.
Reasons I know that could cause a couple of bits of paper with someones name to be on the ground next to several bins and 14 dumped bags of rubbish.
Collections reduced to fortnightly 
Not enough bins for all individual properties in that area
Other residents with no allocated bin using other rate payers bins and the owners of that bin removing that rubbish and dumping it next to the bins
Seagulls, Rats and Cats tearing open bin bags that are visible in the top of a bin because they can't be closed
Gale force winds (like last night) knocking bins over with bags being strewn on the floor and Seagulls, Rats or Cats tearing them open
There are far more likely reasons why something with someones name would be on the floor rather than them being stupid enough to dump rubbish that had their name on it 🤷‍♂️
Ideas to help the residents of Douglas and your own offices.
Go back to weekly collections 
If you refuse to go back to weekly collections and you have halved the service being paid for, reduce the cost. This would cover the trips made to the Amenity Site
Provide free locks to people that request them, they are being fitted to your bins at the end of the day, unless of course we get to keep the lock?
Search for the number of properties in the area, which properties pay rates and send them ALL a letter with information on it to help them which would include if they live in a block of apartments and there is only 1 bin for the whole block how they/landlord request their own individual bin for their apartment
Anyway, while I appreciate there are a lot more instances like this one this was our experience this morning and I will be contacting DBC.''

That does sound heavy handed, he should make a formal complaint to DBC. You do wonder, however,  why he just didn’t pay for a lock and be done with his inconsiderate neighbours.

[Zarley]

13 minutes ago, Gladys said:

I have a can crusher, it  flattens every can.  They don't crush so well by hand or unaided foot.  Cost about £20. 

I don't use many canned goods myself, although my daughter does. Hmmm... her birthday is coming up soon! 

[Gladys]

7 minutes ago, Zarley said:

I don't use many canned goods myself, although my daughter does. Hmmm... her birthday is coming up soon! 

I was going to get my daughter one for Xmas, she was not impressed! 

I have pets,  so quite a few cans, apart from the beer cans, of course!

[Jarndyce]

12 minutes ago, Gladys said:

I have pets,  so quite a few cans, apart from the beer cans, of course!

Your pets drink beer?