Threat to contractors

Council chiefs have written to around 500 residents in Rathgill, Beechfield and Ardvanagh asking them to collect the mini food waste bins from the Balloo Waste Transfer Station.

It is claimed that during May’s delivery phase one driver was surrounded by youths in Ardvanagh and ordered to pay £100.

Other incidents are alleged to have occurred in Beechfield and Rathgill during the delivery phase earlier this year.

The complaints were made last month by a North Down Borough Council subcontractor, hired to deliver the new food waste caddies across the borough.

The incidents however, were only reported to council officials and not to police. Deliveries in the affected areas were halted and an investigation was launched.

A council officer’s report, brought back to June’s Environmental and Amenities Committee, states, “The Waste Services Manager advised that subcontractors would not go back into those areas as they feared more violence.

“Less than 500 properties had been affected by the disruption. It would be the Waste Services Manager’s preference that letters be sent to those areas informing householders of the non-delivery and advising householders to collect their caddies from the Waste Transfer Station, rather than putting further people at risk during deliveries.”

The report adds that following correspondence, the subcontractor is prepared to report the incidents to police.

North Down Mayor John Montgomery urged the council to report the matters to Bangor PSNI, but councillors refused to support the action.

The report adds, “He (Mr Montgomery) called on members (of the Environmental, Amenities and Technical Services Committee) to approve that action, however, while many had sympathy for that point it was generally believed that council could not become embroiled in the situation and the contractor had the right to make his own decision.”

The council’s payment for the contract of delivering the caddies totalled £9,500, according to council papers.

The food waste collection service is currently available to households with green bins (almost 26,000 properties) in North Down.

All types of uncooked food waste are eligible for recycling. Exclusions include cooking oil, fat and animal waste.