Recycling scheme complaints

Some time ago I complained on behalf of TRACE about the collapse of the 'Box it' recycling scheme which as you will know is a complete mess. I called the Council offices, emailed the Council Offices, emailed again and all without the courtesy of a reply. Eventually I complained to Phil Davies our local Councillor about the scheme and also about the lack of a reply to my complaints. Phil told me that he had raised it with the head of the section concerned and he has now received an email back which he has passed on to me and I have reprinted below. You should know that BIFFA have taken over the waste managemenmt and recycling contract from the previous provider of these services. There will be other changes to the services in future which we will return to in the blog shortly. Watch this space.


Dear Councillor Davies

Please accept our apologies for not responding sooner to your enquiry about the quality of recycling collections in Seamore St.

Biffa have devised a quality monitoring procedure, where addresses and locations that have been repeatedly missed under the old Onyx contract will be monitored by Biffa supervisors. The system has been introduced only this week. Crews have to report back and sign completion sheets for list of properties on their daily round sheet which have experienced poor service. They do this for a period of 4 consecutive collections. If any further problems occur they are brought in for interview by the supervisor, and they must continue to report back on that property for an additional 13 collections.

I have asked that Seamore St be added to the monitoring list for the Tranmere Box Scheme.
I have every confidence that services will improve, but Biffa do need time to work on these crews to ensure they learn to perform to higher standards.

With regards to the leafleting - although I think the suggestion by Mr Kay is a very good one, in practice it is not always possible to leaflet the missed streets as resources may not be available.

Please inform Mr Kay that, under the terms of the new contract, if his whole street is reported missed on the scheduled collection day, then it should be emptied the following day. Failure to do so would result in the contractor facing default penalties.

Regards
Tara
Tara Dumas
Environment and Waste Services Manager
Technical Services
Wirral BC