Are Bent and Tiresome Job Creation Schemes for Out- Of-Control Bureaucracies Sneakily Masquerading as Health and Safety and Environmental Protection Measures?
This is a Special Guest Blog from our Good Friend Overseas: Alan G.
Last week, my mother who lives in Bedfordshire, was clearing out their garage, a job that had been put off for too long.
They had a set of four tyres that were the winter set for a car that they had sold about ten years ago, so she puts them into the boot of her car and takes them to the tip or “Waste Recycling Centre” as it is now called.
“You can’t dump them without a permit” says the officious Waste Management Consultant, “you need to phone the council to get one”.
So my Mum drives the six or so miles back home to phone the council.
“Name, address and vehicle registration?” says the person at the relevant council department. My Mum gives the information over the phone.
“And how many tyres do you want to dispose of? she asks.
“Four” says my Mum.
‘”You can only dispose of two per household per year” says the council worker.
As it happens, my Mum and her husband own two properties and have a car each, so they could get the permits and dispose of the tyres, even though they have to make two separate trips in two different vehicles, on top of the wasted trip in the first place.
Do the council honestly think that by making it hard for people to responsibly dispose of waste that it will deter fly tipping which the council ultimately has to clear up at greater cost to the taxpayer?
If that’s not bent I don’t know what is.
Regards
Alan. G.
This is a Special Guest Blog from our Good Friend Overseas: Alan G.
Last week, my mother who lives in Bedfordshire, was clearing out their garage, a job that had been put off for too long.
They had a set of four tyres that were the winter set for a car that they had sold about ten years ago, so she puts them into the boot of her car and takes them to the tip or “Waste Recycling Centre” as it is now called.
“You can’t dump them without a permit” says the officious Waste Management Consultant, “you need to phone the council to get one”.
So my Mum drives the six or so miles back home to phone the council.
“Name, address and vehicle registration?” says the person at the relevant council department. My Mum gives the information over the phone.
“And how many tyres do you want to dispose of? she asks.
“Four” says my Mum.
‘”You can only dispose of two per household per year” says the council worker.
As it happens, my Mum and her husband own two properties and have a car each, so they could get the permits and dispose of the tyres, even though they have to make two separate trips in two different vehicles, on top of the wasted trip in the first place.
Do the council honestly think that by making it hard for people to responsibly dispose of waste that it will deter fly tipping which the council ultimately has to clear up at greater cost to the taxpayer?
If that’s not bent I don’t know what is.
Regards
Alan. G.
8 comments:
I agree, completely mad. However she could have taken them to any tyre dealer/fastfit depot. They would probably have asked for a small fee as they now have to pay for disposal themselves. But it would still have been cheaper (and more environmentally friendly) than the numerous trips she made.
Or we could just hang our old tyres over any one of the nations speed cameras, and fill them with petrol.
-Apparently there's a council now using anti terrorism legislation to surveil council tax payers who don't put their bins out on time...
It's very sad that councils are so bullied by the corporate reps of the 'market', that rather than supporting their communities they are reduced to bullying, harrassing and surveilling: reduced to dotting every 'i' and crossing every 't' just so that they can keep their big business corporate alliances the way business wants them to be (until that big business crashes and dumps thousands of unemployed people back on those councils and communities)
These kinds of small minded 'activities' do nothing but unsettle and infuriate people who just want to feel that they have some 'rights' in the area they live in.
Do you think this is the bureacracy wiping out local democracy and common law rights?
It's something that we should fight for.
Anon,
The point is that by paying your council tax you have already paid to dispose of a reasonable amount of household waste.
Angrydave,
I agree with your sentiment entirely, however a tyre is going to cost upwards of thirty quid to fill with petrol, so that's an expensive option.
Soapsoane
Did you know that councils now have in excess of 300 different powers to enter your home? That's more than the police.
AlanG
I think the expense is worth it. Although i have never done it myself, i can see why people do.
Slightly off topic, but there is a bit of a debate going on over at bastardoldholborn.blogspot.com that is related to something said by a Bristol mp on her blog at
kerry-mccarthy.blogspot.com about being sent a copy of 1984 courtesy of the LPUK.
It is quite heated, and if you choose to go have a look, i apolagise for my language in advance.
Hi
Thanks for the heads up Angry Dave
We have a link to Old Holborn right at the very bottom of this home page/ As mentioned it's a colourful blog so be warned.
Best use paraffin AngryDave - its a bit cheaper.
Failing that, just dump them at a local beauty spot like everyone else seems to do these days..........
Maaarrghk!
I once tried to get the council to collect an engine from my garden ( left by previous occupant).
Although I was willing to pay any reasonable charge, my City Council collect large items for disposal but do not engines ( healthnsafety, natch ) while my County council do engines but don't collect. Brilliant.
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