HARINGEY COUNCIL AND ACCORD RESPONSE TO BIN STRIKE NOT GOOD ENOUGH, SAY LIB DEMS

3.06.07pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 8th Aug 2006

Haringey Lib Dems have slammed the Council and Haringey Accord for not doing enough to advise worried residents how to deal with their rubbish as the refuse strike effecting Haringey continues.

Lib Dem councillors have received many calls from residents who are unable to get through to the advice line offered by Haringey Accord. The Lib Dems say the information from the Council is far too patchy and gives the impression that Haringey is washing it hands of the problem, as piles of stinking rubbish accumulate across the borough.

Lib Dems are reminding residents that as a last resort, they can take their rubbish directly to recycling centres, which are now open later, if they are worried about smells and vermin. The entrance to the Recycling Centre in Hornsey is off the north side of Hornsey High St, between the banqueting hall and the former Council buildings and roughly opposite Greig City Academy. While the Lib Dems say much more could be done to make the centre visible to the public, there is usually a yellow 'A' board sign on the pavement pointing to the entrance.

Lib Dem leader Neil Williams says it is not good enough that the advice line being offered by the council is impossible to get through to, and Accord should face up to its responsibilities, ensuring that residents know what is happening. Incredibly, the Council has failed to move over any staff at all to the normal 'waste' call centre, consequently there are huge queues of people building up on the phone lines. Most residents who phone the waste line end up hearing an endlessly repeating answer-machine message, but cannot speak to an operator to request an emergency collection where the waste is blocking access or presents a fire or health risk.

Lib Dem Environment Spokesperson Bob Hare comments: "The Council have known that this strike was a strong possibility ever since the one day stoppage in March, the vote to strike in May, and even more so following the unsuccessful ACAS-brokered negotiations that followed. That the strike action has started before warning people and getting information out represents a very serious failure by the Council."

Lib Dem Leader Neil Williams comments: "It is not good enough for Haringey to put its head in the sand over this - smelly rubbish is accumulating right across the borough at the worst possible time of year. The advice and guidance given by the Council is not adequate. Just because the council has subcontracted the service, does not mean they can avoid responsibility for these problems.

"Not every one has email or the internet. If the council is not going to provide a basic service that residents have paid for, Haringey should have leafleted residents with detailed guidance, and ensure that advice lines are properly staffed. The instructions on how to get to the Hornsey recycling centre on Haringey's website don't even give its exact location or address, and it is poorly signed. This is just not good enough."

The Lib Dems are also calling for the council to set out in detail its civil contingency plan for dealing with the crisis if it continues for a second or third week - or beyond.

Cllr Bob Hare says: "Accord have been collecting refuse from Council-owned blocks of flats, but not private blocks which have contracts with the Council. This is a completely unacceptable difference of treatment - private owners have just as much right to have their refuse collected as Council tenants. Anyone who has a problem with refuse collection should get in touch with Accord on 020 8885 7700 or with the Council's waste management through the Council's switchboard 020 8489 0000, or by e-mail: call.centre@haringeyaccord.com to request that a Council inspector calls to assess the situation and if considered an emergency, then a collection will be arranged. If any resident has difficulty getting through, Lib Dem councillors will try to help."

There are currently between two and five refuse vehicles in action (normally 20), staffed by Accord management and staff brought in from outside Haringey (the actual number depends on staff availability). They are focusing on collecting the refuse from blocks of flats, with some street collections depending on how serious the accumulations of refuse are.

The Council has said it will begin to enforce the contract conditions forcing Accord to take on temporary staff later this week if the strike is not resolved.

"Haringey should tell the public in detail what plans it has if this situation continues," adds Lib Dem Leader Neil Williams. The situation could deteriorate very rapidly if the strike is not resolved, and an action plan for dealing with the borough's rubbish must be devised."

Cllr Hare comments: "This pressure from the Council has been far too slow. Given the record hot weather, we think this enforcement should have begun at the start of the week, so that the temporary staff could be trained and ready to work by the weekend. With this delay, refuse will be building up even more over the weekend, with clearing up not even beginning."