A reader writes:
This is not recycling, just masses of boxes with filthy waste.
The "not recycling" in question is, my reader claims, occurring in Hampstead Garden Suburban, that celebrated example of early 20th century urban planning located in the Conservative-run borough of Barnet. Said borough is proud of its new recycling arrangements, introduced in November. Under these, the list of materials collected has been extended to include cardboard and plastic bottles. Special blue boxes have been provided to accommodate these materials in addition to the black ones already in use for accommodating everything else.
The requirement is that all boxes are placed "kerbside" for weekly collection. Is this happening in Hampstead Garden Suburb? Not according to my reader - at least, not in Queen's Court, which is the part of the Suburb where said reader resides:
I complained about the boxes being at the front doors of our flats, which is smelly and unsightly and not kerbside at all.
A photograph was provided. I cannot publish it for technical reasons I am too dim to understand, but it did clearly show boxes full of stuff stacked in the communal doorway to the flats. My reader had already complained to the Council. Its reply of 29th December 2008 confirmed that the boxes should not have been left there:
This is a health and safety hazard as visitors and residents may trip over the boxes and they may also be blocking fire escape routes.
My reader had also complained to housing association Circle 33, which manages Queens Court. Its response of 5th January 2009 concurred with the Council's view and added that boxes:
...can be placed in the outdoor bin enclosures and moved to the boundary of Queens Court on the allocated day for collection.
It also assured my reader that:
Circle 33 is working in partnership with Barnet Council to assist in the enforcing the safe recycling compliance of the process as per their letter.
However, this assurance seems slightly undermined by a letter from another department of the Council which told my reader:
If residents choose to keep the recycling boxes outside of the building, including by the entrance between collections, this does not contravene our requirements. I realise that this does not wholly address all of your concerns, but we can not dictate where recycling boxes are stored outside between collections.
So what about the "outdoor bin enclosures" mentioned by Circle 33? It's all a bit confusing and adds to the frustration of my reader who claims that none of the written reassurances has yet resulted in any action. The offending boxes continue to be stacked in the communal flat entrance (wrong) far in advance of collection day (wrong) and, what's more, their contents often become strewn about outside (wrong again).
I only have my reader's word for this, but unless and until the authorities can convince me otherwise I am rather inclined to accept it. I've spoke to Barnet Council. It says that in response to my reader's complaints it has hand-delivered letters to every household in Queen's Court asking residents to follow the proper procedures, and that on the second of these occasions, officials actually shifted some of the offending boxes to the right spot for collection.
But Barnet also says its powers are restricted to asking people to store their boxes in the correct place: it can't tell them to do it or take action against them if they don't. Can Circle 33 do anything more? I've left a messages and await a reply. If something doesn't happen soon, I may have to have a word with my friend Boris.
