York Council explains telephone answering delays

Time taken to answer telephone calls to the York Council

Time taken to answer telephone calls to the York Council

The number of complaint calls to the Council almost doubled when the ill-fated new refuse collection schedules were introduced on 9th September.

Over 5500 residents tried to raise issues with the Council

Callers faced an average wait of nearly 3 minutes before being answered.

42% gave up waiting and hung up.

Commercial switchboard operators typically have a target “Time to Answer” of less than 20 seconds.

Swiychboard
The problems were exacerbated last week by the failure of the Council to update its database to allow its web site to be used to report missed bins.

The Council has promised to take action to align staff resources to more closely match demand levels in the future.

Now Clifton loses in bin emptying lottery

The Council say that they have been unable to empty green waste bins and collect recycling in parts of the Clifton and Rawcliffe area today. They hope to empty the green bins tomorrow (Saturday)

They have also failed to collect recycling from 10 roads in Rawcliffe. However they now plan to collect them on Monday. How residents are supposed to know this remains a mystery.

The local media continue to pretend that everything is OK.

No point in ringing up the Councils help line (01904 551551) . It is closed until Monday.

Even then you will only have a 50% chance of getting through – see our story tomorrow for the background to the Council communications meltdown.

Waste not collected (according to Council web site)

Green Bin: (Clifton Moor)

Hopes that Council Leader James Alexander will step in to address the bins crisis have been dashed. His involvement here was photographed only a few weeks before the last local Council elections

Hopes that Council Leader James Alexander will step in to address the bins crisis have been dashed. His involvement here was photographed only a few weeks before the last local Council elections

• Winscar Grove
• Langsett Grove
• Roseberry Grove
• Landalewood Road
• Grimwith Garth
• Gouthwaite Close
• Rivelin Way
• Doe Park
• Roundhill Link
• Stubden Grove
• Thornton Moor Close
• Dale Dyke Grove
• Boltby Road
• Morehall Close
• Oakdale Road
• Bransholme Drive
• Whitley Close
• Hayforth Close
• Handley Close
• Wellesley Close
• Ilton Garth
• Ryburn Close
• Loxley Close
• Rishworth Grove
• Eldwick Close
• Lanshaw Croft
• Ebsay Drive
• Lindley Road
• Barmby Close
• Redmires Close
• Gillingwood Road
• Wharnscliffe Drive
• Harden Close
• Lindley Wood Grove

Green Bin: (Clifton)

• Burton Stone Lane
• Burton Green
• Ashton Avenue
• Ingram Avenue
• Waveney Grove
• Burrill Avenue
• Evelyn Crescent
• Marjorie Waite Court
• Crombie Avenue
• Crichton Avenue
• Wilberforce Avenue
• Bede Avenue
• Intake Avenue
• Lucas Avenue
• Link Avenue
• Rowntree Avenue
• Sutton Way
• Little Avenue
• Kingsway North

Recycling:

1. Beaverdyke
2. Chelkar Way
3. Fewston Drive
4. Angram Close
5. Swinsty Court
6. Leighton Croft
7. Keats Close
8. Reighton Avenue
9. Lawnswood Drive
10. Melton Drive

Huntington and Haxby hit by bin emptying backlog today

The Councils web site is reporting that the following streets have not had their bins emptied today

Green Bin: (Huntington)

• Strensall Road
• Abbots Gait
• Vesper Walk
• Kingsclere
• Mulberry Court
• Connaught Way
• Langley Court
• Linden Close
• Heron Rise
• Drakes Close
• Avon Drive
• Crinnan Court
• Trent Avenue
• Witham Drive
• Lang Road
• Ikin Way
• Broome Road
• Broome Way
• Cotswold Way
• Southdown Road
• Malvern Close
• Mandip Close
• Chiltern Way
• Grampian Close

Green Bin: (Haxby)

• York Road
• Hilbra Avenue
• Rosecomb Way
• Farmstead Rise
• Milford Mews

Recycling: ( Haxby/Wigginton )

• Forestgate
• Calvert Close
• Gateland Close
• Little Meadows
• Old Orchard
• Cherry Paddock
• Orchard Paddock
• South Lane
• Abelton Grove
• Kennedy Drive

“Bow wave” of un-emptied bins increasing

Some 500 homes in the Kingsway West area haven’t had their bins emptied today (Wednesday). Once again the Council claims that they will be emptied tomorrow.

The list, being published on the Council’s web site, now includes lists of streets where recycling also hasn’t been collected.

The backlog now runs into thousands of homes.

Un-emptied bins on Kingsway West 1730 hours 18th Sept 2013

Un-emptied bins on Kingsway West 1730 hours 18th Sept 2013

Black Bin:

• Tudor Road

• Kingsway West

• Ascot Way

• Windsor Garth

• Ashford Place

• Woodford Place

• Newbury Avenue

• Beverley Court

• Aston House

• Sandown House

• Merton House

• Radford House

• Carlton House

• Craven House

• Adelphi House

Green Bin:

• Millgates
• The Paddock
• Plantation Drive
• Paddock Way
• Farfield
• Langholme Drive
• Ouseacres
• Caxton Avenue
• Boroughbridge Road
• Priors Walk
• Welton Avenue
• Rosetta Way
• Lavendar Grove
• Princess Drive
• Monarch Way
• Marquis Court
• Regent Mews
• Duchess Mews

Recycling:

• Princess Drive
• Monarch Way
• Marquis Court
• Regent Mews
• Duchess Mews
• Newlands Drive
• Boroughbridge Road (from Ouseburn Avenue to Beckfield Lane)

It remains unclear what the Labour run Council intends to do to remedy the problems

Council admit error and apologise for failure to collect medical waste

The Council have admitted that they should have collected the medical waste put outside a property in the Holgate area last week.

They say that their records have now been updated.

They have also apologised for the delays in answering calls to the Councils switchboard.

We understand that they are experiencing unprecedented levels of complaints mostly arising out of the waste collection shambles.

Dlevene twitter 17th Sept 2013

Meanwhile Councillor Levene, who is responsible for waste collection, has “tweeted” to York Liberal Democrats claiming that the non collection of recycling on Chapelfields Road yesterday was “explained on the Council web site”.

In reality neither neither Chapelfields Road nor recycling is mentioned on the web site.

In a separate development, some residents trying to use the “report it on line” system to report a missed bin have not been able to do so.

It appears that the database has not been updated for the new collection rounds.

Woodthorpe waste bins not emptied as bin men “work to rule”

Parts of the Woodthorpe and Westfield wards have not had their bins emptied today.

It is the seventh working day of the new bin emptying regime. The crisis is now being blamed by the Council on a “work to rule”.

The Council are bullying the local media into not reporting the problems which today meant that bins in the following street have not been emptied.

Black Bin :

◦Alness Drive (Part)

◦Tarbert Cres

◦Deveron Place

◦Halladale Close

◦Torridon Place

◦Ashmead Close

◦Etive Place

◦Tarbert Crescent

◦Coeside

Green Bin :

◦Bramham Avenue

◦Marsden Crescent

◦Marsden Avenue

◦Grange Lane

◦Hotham Avenue

◦Barkston Grove

◦Askham Lane

◦Askham Grove

◦Apple Blossom Court

◦Westfield Place

◦Branton Place

◦Sandringham Court

The Council says that it will return tomorrow (Wednesday) to these properties.

Dringhouses hit again as waste bins not emptied today

The chaos on the bin emptying services continues for a second week.

Today the Council are admitting that dozens of more streets have not had their bins emptied.

They say that the following roads have been missed.

Rubbish collection (black bin) –

Dringhouses/Knavesmire area:

◦ Chalfonts

Un-emptied bins on Pulleyn Drive. 5:00pm 16th Sept 2013

Un-emptied bins on Pulleyn Drive. 5:00pm 16th Sept 2013


◦ Nelsons Lane

◦ Goodwood Grove

◦ Hob Moor Terrace

◦ Weddel Close

◦ Lingfield Crescent

◦ Pulleyn Drive

◦ White House Gardens

◦ White House Rise

◦ White House Dale

◦ St George’s Place

◦ Towton Avenue

◦ Moorgarth Avenue

Mount Pleasant Park area (Acaster Malbis) :

◦Lakeside
◦The Willows
◦Oak Avenue
◦The Crescent
◦The Close
◦Cundall Drive
◦Cherry Tree Drive
◦Beech Avenue
◦Lilac Avenue
◦Pleasant Avenue
◦Elm Avenue

The Council says that it will return to these properties to make collections by the end of the next working day. “Please ensure that your bin is out by 7am as the crews will be returning early in the morning”.

Allerton Park waste disposal contract – last minute move

The York Council has today agreed to extend the deadline by which planning permission for the new waste disposal facility at Allerton Park must be achieved.

The agreement with the contractors AmeyCespa was due to expire today but a last ditch agreement has extended the agreement until at least the “Cabinet” meeting on 1st October.

Allerton park waste centre

The granting of planning permission had been held up following a move by a Parish Council which asked for a judicial review of the terms of the planning permission.

This is still being considered by the Court of Appeal

The North Yorkshire County Council also has to agree a way forward.

If the contract were terminated at this stage, then a payment of £3 million could be due to the contractor.

It is unclear why the York Council was forced into making a decision today with minimal notice. The terms of the contract have been known for over 2 years.

Friday 13th – Looking unlucky for York Council as traffic congestion and un-emptied bin problems mount

The Council’s web site crashed for a short time as problems with traffic congestion and un-emptied waste bins mount.

Click to update

Click to update

A combination of the Lendal Bridge closure, poor weather and high traffic volumes is causing mounting delays on the northern by pass and the inner ring road.

Further congestion is expected tomorrow as the City hosts the “skyride”.

Meanwhile the backlog in emptying waste bins shows little sign of subsiding. There is talk of working on Saturday to address the backlog but how residents will be made aware of such a decision remains a mystery.

The local media have been strangely reluctant to report the scale of the problem pausing only to remind residents to put their bin out by 0700 hours – pretty much futile if the bins aren’t cleared for over 24 hours.

The Council is now saying “ on Friday 13th September some properties in the following streets did not have their garden waste collected as scheduled:

Poppleton – Streets and all streets off

• Station Road
• Longridge Lane
• Black Dykes Lane
• Main Street
• Ebor Way
• Montague Road
• Millfield Lane
• Beech Grove
• Westfield Close
• Willow Croft
• Hodgeson Lane
• The Green

Clifton – Streets and all streets off• Shipton Road
• Malton Way
• Brompton Road
• Rawcliffe Lane (part)
• Surray Way
• Filingsdale Road
• Eastholme Drive
• Northolme Drive
• Southolme Drive
• Westholme Drive
• Grasmere Grove
• Borrowdale Drive
• Westmore Drive
• Alwyne Drive
• Alwyne Grove
• Westholme Drive
• Potterdale Drive

Rawcliffe – Streets and all streets off• Bowness Drive
• Furness Drive
• Howard Drive
• Troutsdale Avenue
• Stainsdale Close
• St Marks Grove
• Bilsdale Close
• Manor Park Road
• Manor Way
• Rawcliffe Croft
• Eva Avenue
• Manor Lane
• Cobham Way
• Armstrong Way
• Conningham Avenue
• Village Street

We will return to these properties to make collections on Saturday 14th September. Please ensure that your bin is out by 7am as the crews will be returning early in the morning.

Now Strensall, Haxby and Wigginton green waste bins not emptied

The chaos on bin emptying continued today with the Council admitting that green waste collections did not take place across large parts of Strensall, Haxby and Wigginton today.

Cllr Levene attempting to master a street sweeper. Coming to street near you? Probably not!

Cllr Levene attempting to master a street sweeper. Coming to street near you? Probably not!

It is the latest failure in an apparently unending saga of mistakes arising out of new bin emptying schedules.

Earlier in the week the Labour councillor responsible for the blunders (Cllr Levene) told people to “calm down”.

He told the media “Though the Council has written directly to the small number of properties that will see a significant change to their collections, there will inevitably be the odd issue to iron out when moving to a new system. We would ask residents to ensure they put their waste and recycling out before 7am on their collection days“.

Unfortunately many of the failures have been at properties where there was no planned change to the day of collection. So many did not receive a letter and the Council has effectively sought to bury the bad news deep in their web site

The failures were described as “bedding in” problems

Their web site says

Whilst the new collection rounds are settling down there will be instances when some properties are missed. We are sorry that on Thursday 12th September some properties in the following areas did not have their collection on the scheduled day:

• Rubbish collection (black bin) – None
• Garden waste (green bin):

◦WalmerCarr,Wigginton

◦WindsorDrive,Wigginton

◦OakenGrove,Wigginton

◦TheVillage,Wigginton,

◦MillLane,Wigginton

◦CornerClose,Wigginton,

◦HelmsleyGrove,Wigginton

◦StrensallPark,Strensall

◦AlexanderRoad,Strensall

◦YorkRoad,Strensall

◦BarleyRise,Strensall

◦PortishamPlace,Strensall

◦LongFurrow,Haxby

◦Mancroft,Haxby

◦Wheatfieldlane,Haxby

◦Greendyke,Haxby

◦LundClose,Wigginton

◦BellClose,Wigginton

◦StoopClose,Wigginton

◦ManorGarth,Wigginton

◦ForestClose,Wigginton

◦Middlebanks,Wigginton

◦PlantationWay,Wigginton

We will return to these properties to make collections by the end of the next working day