No Special Rubbish Collection In City

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30933, 14 December 1965, Page 22

No Special Rubbish Collection In City

No action was taken by the City Council last evening on a renewed request for a special colledion of rubbish once or twice a year.

Investigations from counties that had made collections showed that it was impossible to make an accurate estimate of the quantity of junk likely to be collected, the works and services committee reported. Elderly persons had difficulty in putting junk out at their gates and often sought the assistance of collectors. In spite of instrudions, many

householders did not have the rubbish out at the stipulated time and there was extra work and expense in “back-tracking” or in bad public relations if the junk was not collected.

The special refuse vehicles used by the council were not suitable for handling the type of refuse that would be put out so open trucks would have to be used. The present commitments of the works department were such that a collection could only be undertaken on Saturdays. One county council that had made a collection three years ago found that its collection, done on week-days, cost 3 per cent of the yearly collection costs, the committee said. Making the necessary adjustment for overtime rates for Saturday labour, a city collection would cost at least £3200. It was expected that the dust and refuse vote would be considerably overspent this financial year, the committee added. To make a special collection would also mean a serious interruption of a tight programme of road works.