'I appreciate your right to refer issues to the local government ombudsman and it is not for me to put pressure on you to do otherwise. All I would say is that such action will do nothing to assist the residents we are collectively seeking to help.' -- Andrew Lloyd, chief executive, Rotten Borough of Rushmoor

'Bins are full or over-full and the excess rubbish gets left in bags in the street or dumped behind gardens.' -- Alex Crawford, former councillor, Rotten Borough of Rushmoor

The Army quarters in Aldershot is increasingly beginning to resemble one big rubbish tip. Not a pleasant homecoming for squaddies forced to serve in Tony Blair's illegal war and occupation of Iraq.

Wander around squaddie land and there is rubbish everywhere, in the streets, in the gardens. The reason for it looking like one big rubbish tip is the local council, the Rotten Borough of Rushmoor, failing to carry out its statutory responsibilities and collect the rubbish on a regular weekly basis.

Challenged on their piss-poor service, the reaction of the council is to blame the squaddies, that it is their fault they have overflowing bins, and the Army is expected to clear up the mess.

What are the squaddies expected to do: burn their waste, chuck it in the street, fly-tip it? If yes, then they will be following the example of other parts of Aldershot where it is already happening.

Former Rotten Borough of Rushmoor councillor Alex Crawford has repeatedly highlighted the problem and called for an end to fortnightly rubbish collection, which has proved to be an unmitigated disaster, and for a return to weekly collections.

Alex Crawford is now so disgusted with the situation that he is referring the matter as a case of maladministration to the Local Authority Ombudsman.

Alex Crawford is not the only one to raise a stink, so too has Aldershot councillor Peter Sandy. Peter Sandy has shown the problem is prevalent across Aldershot, with fly-tipping, rubbish strewn streets, overflowing bins and some streets where the stench from rotting refuse is so bad that it is unpleasant to walk down the street (and that was before the current spell of hot weather).

Peter Sandy has been leafleting Aldershot, and so far had in excess of 5,000 replies from households calling for a return to weekly refuse collection.

 http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=3585

In Farnborough too, there is a problem, people are having to drive to the local tip to dispose of their surplus refuse, creating local traffic jams and adding to air pollution. Disabled residents and elderly residents are having problems shifting heavy bins.

Councillor David Clifford who represents Farnborough town centre has been inundated with complaints.

 http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=241

Privately, many Tory councillors are expressing their concerns. In private they are saying they wish to see Councillor Roland Dibbs, deputy leader of the Rotten Borough of Rushmoor, the chief proponent of this disastrous policy, who is fighting for his political life to retain his seat, kicked out in the local elections on 3 May 2007.

Only two councillors in the Rotten Borough of Rushmoor, Peter Sandy and David Clifford, have stood up to be counted and said no to fortnightly collection. Every single councillor who is standing for election in the local elections backed fortnightly collection, something the electorate are being asked to note when they cast their vote on Thursday 3 May 2007.

Oxford, which is experiencing similar problems of rubbish strewn streets, overflowing bins, due to the disastrous policies being pushed by the arrogant Jean Fooks, she with the Orwellian title of Councillor for a Cleaner City, is to be featured on ITV1 at 8-00pm this Friday night in a programme called Battle of the Bins: Tonight.

Websites

 http://www.thetruthinrushmoor.co.uk/
 http://www.heureka.clara.net/surrey-hants/
 http://www.crow.uk.com/
 http://www.weeklywaste.com/
 http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/AxetheBinTax/
 http://www.recyclenow.com/
 http://www.letsrecycle.com/info/localauth/league/2005ranked.jsp

References

Janice Asker, Hit by the bin bandits, letters, Surrey-Hants Star, 12 April 2007
 http://www.shstar.co.uk/letters/2009/2009494/hit_by_the_bin_bandits

Battle of the Bins: Tonight, ITV1, 13 April 2007

Rebecca Connop Price, Council warned to tackle mess, Surrey-Hants Star, 12 April 2007
 http://www.shstar.co.uk/news/2009/2009459/council_warned_to_tackle_mess

Cliff Mogg, Call to halt bins trial, Surrey-Hants Star, 15 March 2007
 http://www.shstar.co.uk/news/2008/2008596/call_to_halt_bins_trial

Cliff Mogg, Info blitz on bins at army homes, Surrey-Hants Star, 22 March 2007
 http://www.shstar.co.uk/news/2008/2008841/info_blitz_on_bins_at_army_homes

Keith Parkins, Opposition grows in Rushmoor to cuts in refuse collection, Indymedia UK, 27 February 2007
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/363743.html

Keith Parkins, Fortnightly collection of rubbish an unmitigated disaster, Indymedia UK, 26 March 2007
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/03/366221.html

Keith Parkins, The weekly collection is much better, Surrey-Hants Star, 29 March 2007
 http://www.shstar.co.uk/letters/2009/2009091/the_weekly_collection_is_much_better

Keith Parkins, Fortnightly refuse collection, Indymedia UK, 10 April 2007
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/367639.html

Ram Sampla, Unfair on Army homes, Surrey-Hants Star, 5 April 2007
 http://www.shstar.co.uk/letters/2009/2009243/unfair_on_army_homes

Peter Sandy, Please stop trial now, Surrey-Hants Star, 29 March 2007
 http://www.shstar.co.uk/letters/2009/2009090/please_stop_trial_now

Giles Sheldrick, Bin policy ‘is not for turning’, Oxford Mail, 12 March 2007
 http://www.thisisoxford.co.uk/display.var.1251370.0.bin_policy_is_not_for_turning.php

Giles Sheldrick, Teams to tackle rubbish problems, Oxford Mail, 2 April 2007
 http://www.thisisoxford.co.uk/display.var.1303093.0.0.php

J Tassiker, Foul bin troubles only just starting, letters, Surrey-Hants Star, 12 April 2007
 http://www.shstar.co.uk/letters/2009/2009489/foul_bin_troubles_only_just_starting