PaulRogan

When will that well known English sign be used by Calderdale? You know, the one Churchill used and was first made famous by the English bowmen of the past when fighting the French.

For information, here is the latest twist....in a message from Jonathan Phillips, Group Director, Health and Social Care. BRIEFING NOTE FOR MEMBERS.

Household Recycling Collections in Hebden Bridge, Todmorden, Sowerby Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Skircoat, Copley and Mixenden  

As you are aware SITA UK Ltd have been unable to reach agreement with Kerbside Calderdale on the provision of household recycling collections in the Borough.

Consequently, Kerbside Calderdale have continued to provide a service to the areas above since 4^th August 2008 on their own account.

SITA have a contract with the Council to collect recycling materials from every household. To avoid conflict, SITA agreed not to remove any material left out in a "Kerbside" container or anything placed around that container. However it was decided to temporarily suspend SITA recycling collections because of the risk of disputes at collection times.

The Council has a duty to provide a service to those households and must use the Council's Waste Contractor, SITA UK Ltd, who was selected as a result of a competitive tender process. This means that SITA collections need to restart.

The intention is to do this in a way which will minimise the risk of any further escalation of tension whilst further efforts are made to mediate between the parties.

In order to distinguish between SITA and Kerbside boxes SITA UK Ltd were asked to order and deliver green boxes to those areas where Kerbside were formerly sub contracted by Focsa Services to provide the service.

SITA will commence delivery of the green boxes and bags plus an explanatory leaflet (attached) and a calendar of collections (attached) on Tuesday, 26^th August 2008.   It is planned that all deliveries will be complete by the 8^th September 2008, when actual collections of recyclable materials will commence.

In order to minimise the risk of disputes over materials left out by householders, collections will be made on the alternate week to collections being made by Kerbside. The attached leaflet makes it clear that if people do not want their recycling collected by SITA they can return the green box.

I hope that this arrangement provides a satisfactory balance between the Council carrying out its statutory duties while respecting the strength of local feeling.

I will be making Kerbside aware of the situation.