Barnet Council Bin collection chaos - I hate to say I told you so but...

Barnets bins (courtsey Times-series.co.uk)

Back in October, I was privately contacted by members of Barnet Council refuse collection staff. They told me about the forthcoming reorganisation of bin rounds and explained a number of issues which were causing them concerns. Amongst the litany of woes with the rounds, they explained that by getting rid of special bin lorries that are narrow, for collections in tight roads, would result in rounds becoming uncollectable. the new 28 ton bin lorries simply wouldn't be able to access the roads, causing huge delays and missed collections. Here is what I said in my blog dated 10th October 2018

"I also have concerns that there are reports that Barnet Council are getting rid of the special dustacarts used to access narrow streets. From 5th November, I've been told that the council will only be operationg the 28 ton dustcarts. It is unclear how the council will be able to collect waste from narrow roads. If you live in such a road, please be aware of this change."

Despite this public warning and private conversations and emails to councillors, no action was taken. The emails were ignored and I was actually told "do you think you know better than the people who run the service" by one councillor. When I said "I was told this by the people who run the service for you, have you spoken to them?", I was simply told that "You don't have all of the relevant information".

What I hadn't fully grasped was the fact that incorporation of the narrow streets into normal roads, wouldn't only affect the residents in narrow roads, requiring the old narrow lorries. But as the councillor stated, "you don't have all the relevant information". The council were warned of this.

We weren't the only ones. The Barnet staff trades union asked the following questions to the Council on October 5th

1. How many vehicles do we currently have available for the new round restructure?
2. How many refuse rounds will there be in the new round restructure and what is the staffing numbers?
3. How many recycling rounds will there be in the new round restructure and what is the staffing numbers?
4. How many Trade rounds will there be in the new round restructure and what is the staffing numbers?
5. How many green waste rounds will there be in the new round restructure and what is the staffing numbers?
6. Currently the Hazard vehicle round operates three days a week. Will it still be operating and what are the crew numbers?
7. Impact Vehicle (IPV) currently operates three days a week what is the plan for this service?
8. Will there still be a Bin delivery and if so what are the staffing numbers?
9. How many shunt vehicles will be available on a daily basis?
10. What rounds will be getting shunts?
11. What is the estimated down time for shunts?
12. How many spare vehicles do we have?
13. What are number of locations per round?
14. How many bins and size per location?
15. Please provide the mileage walked by loaders per round?
16. How will flat refuse be collected?
17. How will flat recycling be collected?
18. What are the days for each postal district?
19. How are the locations with more than one collection day be collected?
20. Will there be maps provided for each new round?
21. When will public be informed?
22. When will staff be consulted and be informed about their round?
23. What are the contingency plans in the event of failure to collect?
24. What is the plan for the ever growing number of new developments to be incorporated into the new round?
25. Will agency staff still be used?
26. What are the estimated travelling times for each round to and from depots to the prescribed five postal districts?
27. What are the estimated tipping times from each area to Hendon or Edmonton?
28. Will black sacks be used, if so who will deliver them?
29. Where access for large vehicles is prohibited how far are staff expected to pull bins from bin areas to vehicle?
30. Have risk assessment’s been done for each new round?
31. Have Round Descriptions been completed for each new round?
32. Will the Round Descriptions include the presence potential hazards and restrictions such as;

• Parked Vehicles
• Narrow Lanes
• Steep Slopes
• Pedestrian usage
• Schools/Care Homes and other buildings that may present increase risk, hazards or restrictions Poor Lighting or Visibility

33. Will the Round Descriptions include the nearest locations of:

• Public/Staff Accessible Toilets
• Hospitals
• Nearest refuelling point (in case of emergency)

34. Have the rounds been walked and tested?
35. What is current overall capacity in tonnage for each existing refuse round per day?
36. What is the overall capacity expected in tonnage for each new refuse round per day?
37. What is current overall capacity in tonnage for each existing flat refuse round per day?
38. What is the current overall capacity in tonnage for the existing food waste round per day?
39. What is the current overall capacity in tonnage for RATS/FLASH collection rounds per day?
40. What is the current overall tonnage for each existing recycling round per day?
41. What is the overall capacity expected tonnage for each new recycling round per day?
42. What is the current overall tonnage for the food waste collected by the recycling rounds per day?
44. What is current overall tonnage for all (mid-week and Saturday collection) flat recycling rounds?
45. What is the current overall tonnage for each existing refuse restricted access round per day?
46. What is the current overall tonnage for each existing recycling restricted access round per day?
47. Currently we have restricted access rounds. How will the new round collection service address restricted access to locations?
48. What is the current overall tonnage of the Saturday green waste rounds?
49. Will the crews be alternated between refuse and recycling each week?

These questions were submitted as a result of the feedback and worries of the staff who do the job. They were completely ignored. The Leader of Barnet Council, in a very complacent manner, told the environment committee "It was the first reorganisation for 15 years, therefore there were bound to be teething problems". This wasn't only complacent, it was incorrect, a reorganisation was done in 2013.

The bottom line with all of this is that if you ignore the public and you ignore your own staff when you make changes to public services, you get chaos. Whatever you may think of Barnet Council and the people running it, there is no way that you can consider this anything other than a complete shambles. BBC London has been covering the story over the last couple of days. I do wonder if they realise that this whole mess was completely avoidable.

Never mind healthy weight how about emptying some wheelie bins for which we pay for, that’s what councils are for. pic.twitter.com/pfpTL3kC8n

— themoorings (@themooringssf) November 25, 2018