Wheelie Bins

[Barquentine]

My local council has started providing wheelie bins for everyone in the borough. Instead of clean, tidy, obstacle free front gardens and pavements we are about to be blighted by the further degradation of our 'society' with neighbours now forced to display their human waste in front of their houses.
I have searched for but cannot find any primary or secondary legislation that gives the council any power to require a householder to move the bins from the pavement once delivered. Legal ownership of the bins remains with the council and any allegation of obstructing the footpath should be directed at the council provided a householder never moves a bin inside their boundary.
A recent case in Liverpool upheld this argument by a householder.
I intend to leaflet my borough advising everyone that they can charge rent to the council for use of their property if they store bins within the curtilage of their hereditament.
Can anyone think of an argument against my proposition that a council will be ultra vires if it attempts to force storage within the boundary of private property? Could there be implied easements/wayleaves for example? many thanks.

[Old_Geezer]

I sympathise with your annoyance, but suspect the authorities usually have the upper hand when deciding not to serve the public as the public wish to be served, but imposing a regime much of the public feel is unacceptable. Best of luck if you are willing to put up with the hassle, but I think most just capitulate in the belief that life is too short to be fighting battles every day.

Let us know if you can get them to return to the days when your reasonable sized bin was collected weekly, and returned to where it was collected.

[karenmac60]

I know Helen - what people don't seem to realise is that the council has to keep everyone happy. They have to stick to limits regarding landfill waste now and can be fined if they don't, but folk don't want to recycle or pay more for council tax to pay those fines. They also complain about litter, but refuse to play a part in reducing it. The council are expected to wave a big magic wand, solve all of society's ills, and do it for as little money as possible. If not, you hear folk complaining about getting less for more money - that's life! Curly Wurlys are smaller and dearer than the used to be too you know ;)

[mike11111]

Gone are the days when the bin man would walk up the garden path, trundle the bin from the back door to the cart, empty it then carry the bin back to the back door.

[Old_Geezer]

Ah yes but why are they gone ? Because one authority imposes restrictions on another which in turn imposes on another, which in turn imposes on the people. All point to the next as justification but the citizen who should be served and has paid to be served has to put up with whatever they get. No longer does he who pays the piper call the tune. You are all just irrelevancies to put up with whatever comes your way.

[sherrardk]

We live in a house that has a house on each side and no garden access. I have bought three plastic bins to put the bin bags from the kitchen in and we recycle using the big recycle bin (up to a point) - I suppose I could keep the rubbish in the garage (which has access from the front) but there is too much crap in there. It does look unsightly but better than if I just put the bin bags out for the cats to get at. I just drag it to the kerb and the bin men are really good and usually put the three bins back where they live. No point being awkward about it, just get on with it (it's hardly the end of the world).

[ELVIS68]

My only gripe with wheelie bins is that the council insist on the bin being left on the edge of your property on collection day, ie approx 1 ft away or else it will not be taken.

Fair enough, but when they empty it they leave it halfway across the pavement blocking the driveway when you return home you have to get out of your car and move it.

Ignorant bastads!!!!

[chattykathy]

I hate it when the binmen leave the empty bins across the drive, forcing me to leave the car in the main road while I jump out and move them before I can park! Grrr!

[sherrardk]

To Elvis and Chatty Kathy - if you were a bin man, wouldn't you look for your fun where you could?

[ELVIS68]

sherrardk, not if I expect a tip at xmas

[starone]

My wheelie bin is at the back of the house behind a small fence which provides a 'bin park'. It is only on view once a fortnight on collection day. They are easy to handle even for me, because of the wheels. I would not go back to anything else, especially things that have to be lifted.

[chattykathy]

Sherrardk - I'm sure they love leaving them like that but I would rather have pride in my work. It's why I don't tip the binmen at Xmas. Humbug!!!

[ELVIS68]

Well said kathy :o)

[karenmac60]

Are binmen allowed tips? I work for the council and we are not allowed to accept tips from customers...

[Maydup]

I'm a fan of the wheelie bin now but did feel a bit put upon when they where originally delivered. (having two per houseold and wondering where we'd keep them)

I have a garden and many of you have mentioned back gardens or garages, but I do think they are an eyesore in terraces where people do not have outside space and cannot take them through the house as they used to with their bin bags.

Take a look at this picture as an illustration of the clutter created.

http://www.henleystan...ws/news.php?id=534064

[ELVIS68]

Leave it out karen, everyone takes a tip for a good service, they may not be allowed to ask for it but if offered they should be allowed to accept it

[karenmac60]

We are genuinely not allowed Elvis - and if we accepted we would be reprimanded. We can't even keep people's change - it goes in a charity box if they refuse to take it.

[sherrardk]

I leave the bin men some cans of lager at Christmas (still would even if they weren't so good at putting the empty bins back where they usually live).