When the bin wagons rolled past in February delivering the
new wheelie bins it never occurred to us that while all our neighbours would
receive their delivery, we would not. It wasn't until an hour later, when my
husband decided to double-check, that we realised that we had been missed out
yet again, along with three out of our four upstairs neighbours. We telephoned
within the hour, as the bin wagons continued to deliver in our neighbourhood.
A week later we phoned again. Then again and again. With the
new collections starting today and refuse sacks no longer being collected, we
still have nothing to show for our six phone calls but empty promises and
repeated fob-offs. In the two phone calls made last week we were repeatedly
promised "By the end of Friday at the latest". Prior to that we had
been told that the waste management department would contact us and that they
should have done so within two days. We were told that particular issue had
been escalated way back in phone call number two. We still haven't heard from
them and frankly don't expect to.
Today I was forced to
get creative; nothing else had worked - so I shouted. I let my frustration and
anger show through and demanded a call back from a supervisor within the hour. That,
at least, worked. I have just received my call back from the duty manager on
the Dudley Council Plus helpline, who is going to speak to the waste management
supervisor and phone me back again. I have told her that I will keep my local
council updated with progress.
Yet, right now I am still sitting here, a disabled bed-bound
resident in a Borough that can't seem to manage something as simple as delivering
a wheelie bin. As I wonder what on earth I am supposed to do with the refuse on
collection day tomorrow, I am also wondering what is happening to other
disabled residents within the Borough and just how badly they are being failed
by the council.
I have been encouraged to contact local councillors and/or the Express and Star local newspaper. What do you think?
