59 POLITICAL PAGE
Gavin Logan Councillor for Tweeddale East 0300 100 0220
glogan@scotborders.gov.uk
It is now about three months since the Scottish Borders Council’s Administration announced the withdrawal of the Green waste collection service. Readers will recall that the announcement was made just before Christmas and without any public consultation. The service is a non statutory and it is now clear that it was seen as an “easy hit”. The Conservative group tried hard to convince the Administration to allow Zero Waste Scotland carry out an overall review which would have been cost neutral. We were told that there was no need as a review had been done. We have never been able to see a complete set of figures which would have justified the decision.
There is still a great deal of public angst about the cessation of this service. It is by far the most common complaint that I get from residents on the doorstep and at our surgeries. Apart from the great inconvenience which this will cause there has to be concerns over our recycling rates and the extra journeys to Eshiels. There has to be a worry about recycling rates given that the Council could end up having to pay fines. On a brighter note there is a programme to upgrade the facilities at Eshiels so there should be a minimum of inconvenience for the public when they have to transport their own green waste.
The other common complaint is dog mess. This is not really surprising given that the SNP/ LibDem coalition is in the process of withdrawing the dog warden
service as well. There are so many posters trying to persuade dog owners to pick up, Councillors have been arranging for the provision of extra bins and there is a constant stream of letters and articles in the local papers. It is difficult to see what more can be done apart from even more effort trying to educate and then naming and shaming of these irresponsible dog owners.
The present SNP/LibDem coalition really has to pay more attention to what are the priorities of the general public. Everybody knows that there has to be cuts in services. If these cuts are to frontline services the least the Council could do is to have the courtesy to listen to concerns. Another example of the coalition’s attitude is the Asymmetric week. The only consultation is on the impact that it will have on pupils and parents. It was not even debated at the Education committee.
Finally we are fast approaching the Referendum on the separation of Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom. The arguments from both sides are well documented and rehearsed. I do not need to go into any detail of the overwhelming case for a Union that has stood the test of time. I am British, Scottish and a Borderer (in any order) and proud of it. Supporters of separation should be careful what they wish for.
Gavin Logan Please mention Peebles Life when responding to adverts
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