CRICKHOWELL Rotary Club member Frank Williams couldn’t believe the state of the recycling bins in his local car park when it was his turn for to carry out the club’s rota duties.
Mr Williams found cardboard boxes spilling out of the top of the recycling bins and more cardboard as well as garden waste strewn around on the ground in the Standard Street car park.
He immediately rang Powys County Council to find out why the bins hadn’t been emptied and said it was a frustrating experience as he “went round in circles” trying to find the right person to speak to. He told the Brecon & Radnor Express: “I am part of a Rotary Club rota which looks after the maintenance of the recycling bins in the Standard Street car park. Last Sunday, I notified PCC by email that the bins were over full. I phoned on Monday morning to confirm this. Normally, I would receive a response indicating that this would be dealt with by PCC. [But] I met obfuscation and went around in circles phoning PCC. No explanation was forthcoming for not emptying the bins. People were leaving garden waste and cardboard on the side of the bins. Some were trying to put material into the top of the bins, by climbing up, which is potentially dangerous.
“A Crickhowell Rotarian fractured his skull and spent a week in Hospital when attempting to tidy up the top of an over-filled bin.
“I have since received an explanation that the lorry, which empties the bins, had broken down. A local community councillor had been told me the lorry driver was on holiday, with no replacement. PCC were quick to remove our advertising signs of the Charity Duck Race but slow to empty recycling bins!”
A spokesperson for Powys County Council said the bins hadn’t been emptied the previous week but a call was received from a member of the public on the Tuesday and the bins had been emptied on Thursday of the same week.