A pensioner says a change in council policy means she now has to lug bin bags of rubbish up two flights of steps for collection.
Catrena Tucker, 65, who lives in an under-dwelling at Gledholt Bank, Gledholt, was told in a letter from Kirklees Council that her bin bags would no longer be collected from the rear of the property and that they must now be presented for collection at a “designated point” at the front of the property.
That means she will have to carry two or three bin bags each fortnight up two flights of concrete steps – 24 steps in total. The occupants in five neighbouring properties – none of which are suitable for wheeled bins – are similarly affected.
Catrena said the letter from Kirklees had not specified the “designated point” for collection. She said there was nowhere she could leave the bags at the top of the steps without either blocking her access, her neighbour’s gate or the narrow pedestrian footpath.
As a result, during the first week of the new system the bin bags were left uncollected. When she rang to complain, Kirklees sent two workers to collect them.
“Our six properties have about three or four bin bags per household,” she said. “There were 19 bin bags that had to be collected. Are the council refusing to collect from every under-dwelling in Kirklees? There are lots of them in areas like Holmfirth, Milnsbridge and Longwood. It seems they have decided to change their policy whether we like it or not. I pay £87 a month council tax and I pay to have the rubbish collected.”
Catrena said she had refused to join the council’s assisted collections scheme, saying: “They sent me a questionnaire asking about medical conditions. I don’t see why I should be discussing my medical conditions with them. It’s the principle of the matter. Why are they cutting back on things like rubbish collections?”
The Examiner has contacted Kirklees Council for comment but no response has been received.
