The roll out of wheelie bins to a street in a York neighbourhood will cause chaos, a disabled woman who claims the council has ignored her concerns has said.
Stephanie Holdsworth, of Diamond Street in The Groves, has lodged a complaint with York Council claiming wheelie bins were an unworkable, one-size-fits-all measure.
The resident, who has ME/chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), said she would struggle to fill and move her bin and felt she had been denied the chance to object.
Council environmental services lead Ian Hoult said every street included in the Bags to Bins scheme had been checked for suitability and assisted collections were available.
But he also apologised after letters informing residents of the changes failed to reach some, including those in Diamond Street, due to an administrative error.
It comes as part of the council’s delivery of 180L wheelie bins to more than 5,600 York households which began in June.
The £122,000 scheme is set to leave around 2,000 of York’s roughly 95,000 households without bins, most of them within the city walls.
Bins have been provided for free and families have the option to upgrade to a larger one, but households will be charged for replacements.
The council has said the scheme aims to stop vermin being attracted to bins left in bags, reduce spillages and to make collections safer and more efficient.
But Mrs Holdsworth is among residents in The Groves who have objected to being included in the scheme when bins began arriving during the week commencing Monday, 4 August.
Bins were delivered to Diamond Street on Thursday (7 August).
The resident, who has lived in Diamond Street for 30 years, said it had previously been deemed unsuitable for wheelie bins in the 1990s and 2000s.
Mrs Holdsworth added residents would be expected to leave their bins for collection in an alleyway prone to strong winds which could blow them over.
But she said the council had now ignored residents’ concerns and decided to go ahead with deliveries regardless.
‘Imposed solution’
Mrs Holdsworth said: “At the cul-de-sac end of Diamond Street, there are several households with people with disabilities who are not able to manage trudging down the alleyway pulling heavy wheelie bins in all weather themselves, myself included.
“I suffer from a very debilitating, fluctuating disability, I would not have the strength to pull a full or empty bin all the way down the alleyway, it’s fine when my husband is at home but what about when he is away?
“Empty bins are easily blown over in heavy winds and the Diamond Street alleyway is a wind funnel, this will end in chaos.
“The council wants us to store the bins within our property boundaries, we have the choice between eating our meals looking at the big black smelly bin outside our back window, preparing our meals looking at the big black smelly bin outside our kitchen window or, on a sunny day, sitting outside in our yard next to the big black smelly bin.
“The council has ignored objections and has imposed a one-size-fits-all solution, leaving residents to pick up the pieces.”
Council head of environmental services Mr Hoult said every street included in the scheme had been visited beforehand and properties with front or back forecourt space were deemed suitable.
The official added the council wanted residents to work with them as it makes the necessary changes and anyone with additional access or collection needs should contact them.
Mr Hoult said: “The Bags to Bins project has been introduced to significantly improve waste collections across the city.
“As part of this process, we issued two separate letters explaining the changes and next steps, as well as how to raise any issues that might require adjustments.
“Unfortunately, due to an administrative error, some properties did not receive the first of these two letters and we sincerely apologise for this error and any inconvenience it may have caused.
“Assisted waste collection is available to anyone aged 16 years or older who lives alone at their property and does not have a friend or neighbour who can help.”