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56
" Scavenging.—Sweeping the streets still presents a problem
because of the continued difficulty in recruiting suitable labour.
Also many of the Council's employees are getting old and the rate
of sickness, particularly in the winter months, is very high.
The mechanical street sweeper is now employed on night
sweeping after 12 midnight and by this means many streets are
swept where cars and vehicles are parked during the daytime.
A large number of additional litter bins have, during the year,
been fixed to posts in the streets, particularly in areas adjacent to
shops and at bus stops and it is hoped this will materially help in
keeping the streets tidier in appearance.
Street sweepings collected during the year amounted to 1,485
tons which shows a substantial decrease on the previous year.
Refuse Collection.—Here too there is difficulty in recruiting
suitable labour and due to the high rate of sickness amongst the ageing
employees, it has at times been impossible to maintain the normal
regular collection service, even though a number of street sweepers
capable of doing the work have been used on occasions.
The amount of household and trade refuse collected during the
year totalled 22,686 tons, which was practically the same amount
collected the previous year, although the number of dwellings in
the Borough has increased since then. This would indicate that the
refuse is lighter in weight, but more bulky in character, including as
it appears to do a lot more paper and cartons, etc., and a lot less
ashes from coal fires. This is due, no doubt to the increased use
of gas, electric and oil heating appliances in the homes and the
increased use of cartons for packaging foodstuffs.
Refuse Disposal.—The whole of the household and trade refuse
except the salvaged materials, were disposed of by barge to tip.
The salvaged materials, comprising paper, cardboard, rags and scrap
metal, amounting to 974 tons, were disposed of by sale and the
income from this source was £8,189.
Alternative means of disposal by controlled tipping into pits
in Kent and/or the composting of refuse is still being discussed."