Is the council's bin breaking wheelie bin rules?

A number of local residents have pointed out, one with a wry smile, that the council's own wheelie bin next to the football pitch is full to over-flowing, so much so that rubbish is getting scattered around the bin.

The big question being raised is whether the bin will be collected as the lid cannot be lowered in line with the council's own wheelie bin rules?

Fortunately, the rules will have to be interpreted differently in the very near future. As regular readers will know from a previous Audlem Online story (10th August), a solicitor, Roger Houlker, has won recently a long battle with Congleton Borough Council to be given a second bin. Congleton will, of course, make up part of the new Cheshire East unitary council that will also include Audlem from next April.

The local government ombudsman, or should that be ombudswoman, Anne Seex, found Congleton BC guilty of 'maladministration with injustice' (we think that roughly means 'guilty') for failing to collect Mr Houlker's extra waste and told the council to review its policy. The council confirms it is doing so.

The ombudsman adds that she had reservations about whether bin men could refuse to pick up extra bags. Councils that only collect waste left in wheelie bins could have to provide a second bin to households with a 'reasonable' need for one. While the judgement did not cover lids lowered fully, as required at present, the more liberal approach that will be needed in the future should allow C&NBC to empty their own bin on the car park near the football field, even if the lid is raised!

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