Fears for surge in fly-tipping as bin strikes continue next week

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Councillors fear a surge in fly-tipping reports following days of strikes which have stalled bin collections and shuttered recycling centres.Strikes are set to continue and spread across sectors of West Lothian Council services following a breakdown in talks between unions and COSLA, the local authorities umbrella group.Householders were advised to put bins out from today but the council advised there would be delays in uplifts getting back to normal.

And a new set of strikes has been called for the middle of next week.Speaking at Bathgate's Local Area Committee on Monday Labour's Tony Pearson said: "I worry about fly tipping coming up if there's continued industrial action takes place.

People cannot store it in their homes ."If there is an increase in fly-tipping I wonder if there are any plans to put skips in Bathgate parks to stop fly tipping ?Delivering an update on the first quarter of the year from the NETs land and Countryside teams, Eirwen Hopwood told the committee she would find out details and come back to members .She added: " I have seen emails this morning and I know there are issues.

I would imagine there are some contingencies."Images on social media showed pile of rubbish outside recycling centres. Followed up by the Local Democracy Reporting Service these had largely been cleared but fly-tipping was discovered around the Oakbank in Livingston with a sizeable load of black bagged household rubbish tipped at a bus stopThe GMB renewed its "key demand" for a flat rate award, saying a percentage rise settlement *only feathers the nests of service directors."GMB Scotland senior organiser for public services, Keir Greenaway said: "A flat rate award is a key demand from unions to ensure more consolidated money