Where’s You BIN!!!

[Dave]

People are up in arms in the Bay due to over 160 dog and rubbish bins removed without any notice. Torbay Council has so far refused to give any answers as to why it has happened, but I’m sure it just a case of more cost cutting measures being taken. But at what cost to the general health of the residents of the Bay and the possible mess that will end up on our streets.

There was a time when you stepped in dog mess nearly everyday and we all what it was like to walk that mess into your home on your shoes. Let alone having to get if off your shoes, a task even harder if you have soles with deep patterns in them. It was not that many years ago that a young Brixham girl went blind after coming into contact with dog mess, it really can be very nasty stuff indeed.

We do not want to see a return to the days when dog walkers just left the mess where it fell, nor do we want to see rubbish blowing around the Bay as there are no bins to put it in. I must confess I once used to throw sweet wrappers etc out of my car window, well that was until I met Carol. She would always tell me off for doing that and if ever I get temped while out in my car or works van, I can hear Carol telling me not too.

I’m fed up of hearing about all the proposed cutbacks, the fire service in the Bay is the next in line for large cuts and its madness as the population of the Bay continues to grow with more houses being built. Yesterday’s fire in Paignton could have been far worse if those cutbacks had already taken place.

We can spend twenty grand on a Palm Tree, pay so many people working for the council over one hundred grand a year, but fail to find the money for the real essential services that will keep the Bay clean and a welcoming place for out much needed visitors.

[Dave]

well at last the council has now explained why the bins have been removed along with letting us all know what other cuts are taking place in the Bay.



From the Herald Express


TORBAY council has published a list of front-line services to go in £500,000 cost cutting measures.
The reduction to Tor2 services delivered on behalf of the authority means some dog and litter bins have been removed and that opening hours at some public loos across Torbay will be reduced Susie Colley, Torbay Neighbourhood Plan chairman said she will clean the loos herself to keep them open longer.
The cuts have led to mass outcry with Bay councillors saying they are angry that they were not told of the cuts until approached by confused members of the public.

Mrs Colley said: "If they are asking for anarchy they are going the right way about it."

The cuts are:

Seasonal bedding: The number of seasonal flower beds has been reviewed. Twenty-seven beds have been changed. Of these, 10 have been changed to permanent planting, 10 have been removed, five have been reduced in size and two have been transferred to community groups.

Gum removal: The removal of gum from town centre footways has reduced in frequency.
Street cleansing: The frequency of street cleansing in residential areas has been reduced. Seafront and town centre areas remain the same.

Toilets: No public toilets will close. All toilets will be open by 9am daily. Previously some toilets opened earlier. Beach and parks staff will open some of the toilets. The council will be introducing a system in the next two months, using automated opening locks. Closing of some toilets in peripheral areas will get underway at 6pm and toilets in main areas across the Bay will close later in the evening.

Litter and dog waste bins: The number of litter and dog waste bins is being reduced by about 160 from approximately 900. The majority of these are dog waste bins which are situated close to a litter bin or where there is more than one bin in the area.

Car parks: Cleansing will be carried out throughout the day rather than early mornings and deep cleans will move from monthly to quarterly.

Lengthsman: The lengthsman service has been reduced to one team and will concentrate on weed spraying and sign cleansing.

Cllr Darren Cowell said he had been approached by the public about the loss and said that ward members had not been told.

"We all know that we have got significant challenges ahead of us but I am sure we could look at other imaginative ways of keeping bins, like sponsorship."People are starting to realise that the cuts are beginning to bite and it has only just started."The budget cut was approved in November last year by Torbay council.But exactly where the axe would fall has not come to light until now..

Cllr Steve Darling, leader of the council's Lib Dems said that he had received calls from confused residents concerned about an 'organised gang stealing litter and dog bins for scrap value.
He said: "Bins have been removed across the bay and members and the public have been left in the dark."
The loss comes after news that 10 staff at Tor2's street cleaning and building services are to be made redundant.

Mrs Colley said: "This is bad news for residents and tourists.

"Now you can't go to the loo and you have to take your dog poo home with you. Why would people bother coming to Torbay? It is unacceptable."

Cllr Pete Addis, Tor 2 director said he represents Torbay Council's stake in the company.
Cllr Addis said: "Tor2 deals with the things that everybody seems to see. There are concerns but people must recognise that Tor2 had £500,000 taken off its budget and that's had to come off the sharp end, that impacts on the wages we can pay and the level of service that we give.

"It is a wake up call and everybody should expect more to come."

A Torbay Council spokesman said: "We recognise that the reductions to services such as street cleansing, toilets opening hours and litter and dog waste bins that have had to be made as a result of the approved budget will have an impact, and we are working with TOR2 and our other contractors to reduce this as much as possible.
"We will also review the impact of these service reductions after a few months to see if any amendments can be made."

[aussie]

ive bin in Exeter!

[Dave]

Across the Bay where the dog litter bins have been removed, dog owners have just been leaving their bags of dog mess where the bins once were. One of the protestor against these recent cuts Susie Colley put them all in a bin bag and delivered them to the town hall. I listened to a debate on Radio Devon the other day about this subject and nearly everyone seemed to support her actions.

In some cases there are no other bins anywhere nearby and while the council want people to take the dog mess home with them, I fear that is something that won’t happen. Many of the normal litter bins now have stickers on them stating dog mess can be put in the bins as well. This to me seems a real public health issue and won’t do anything to help our already diminishing tourist industry

Cuts have also been made to beach services and opening hours have been cut for a number of public loos along with a number of flower beds being removed. The Bay depends on its visitors, we need to ensure our beaches are clean, our toilets are open and they won’t be stepping in dog mess everywhere.

What we will see is more dog mess on our streets and that will be such a shame after all the work and effort that was put into getting dog owners to pick up their dog mess and put it in a bin. Yes we now live in an age where all we see is cut after cut being made, but we also see so much money wasted that could be used to maintain the services that are important for a seaside town.