Councillor Jim Bollan, who claims Labour’s Clrs David McBride and Martin Rooney are defending the indefensible mistakes of highly paid officers.
By Bill Heaney
The chaos which has accompanied the bin collection service over the festive holidays in West Dunbartonshire continues.
There have been reports of fly tipping and many back gardens and back courts littered with rubbish which the Council has a responsibility to clear up.
Communtiy Party councillor Jim Bollan said: “”This is another disaster brought about by the incompetence of the Labour Council who changed the holiday calendar without any direct consultation with the workers who empty the bins.
“The chaos with bin uplifts over the holiday period is a direct consequence of Labour’s tampering with the holiday calendar.
“The decision which was made in secret on December 17 by Labour councillors Rooney and McBride and kept from the public and opposition councillors until after the Council meeting on the18th was premeditated and shameful.
“The changes made to the holiday calendar, which is [intended] to save money, needs to be set aside until meaningful consultation takes place with all staff affected.”
Meanwhile, the Council is ignoring the pot-holes in the roads which are causing damage to a great number of vehicles and residents of the council estates and side streets are finding the conditions underfoot very dangerous.
There are reports too that plastic bags overflowing with rubbish have been left on the pavement outside the former Co-op buildings in Dumbarton High Street.
Asked for a comment and advice to people on what to do given the circumstances, West Dunbartonshire Council’s communications team, which costs the taxpayers hundreds of thusands of pounds a year, refused to comment.
* The rescheduled schedule for bin collections did not work either when residents in parts of Bonhill, who were told the work would be done on Sunday afternoon, failed to have a visit from the bin operatives.