View report page

Method and Frequency of Collection
A twice-weekly collection is given to all blocks of flats. Where at odd times an additional
collection is necessary for any reason, this is given without question. At the present time
the work is based on eight collection beats, each crew consisting of one driver and a mate.
Unwanted Household Effects.
Since the war there has been a remarkable turnover in the purchase and disposal of household
furniture and fittings, and the domestic refuse collection service became embarrassed by the
bulkiness of articles put out for disposal or, alternatively, abandoned on war damaged sites and
even on the highways. After a time the Council started to organise a service for the removal of
unwanted furniture on payment of modest scheduled charges; but more recently, because of the
clear need for removal as a social service, this has been given free of charge. Last year some
2,150 tons of unwanted furniture was removed in this way and present experience suggests that
this figure may be exceeded during the current year. Almost anything is accepted and the service
is given on request by individual householders and now normally keeps five vehicles and
their crews of drivers and mates fully employed. Older-type refuse vehicles or open lorries are
used at present for this work.
Trade Refuse.
The Council is required, on request, to remove trade refuse and over 11,000 tons was
removed during last year. Some of this is collected on the normal household collection beats,
where the material produced is capable of being put in ordinary household bins or alternatively
in bulk containers. Where this is not possible, collection is made by a special vehicle with a
crew of driver and mate. In the dustless loading area "Trade" collections are being separated
from "Domestic", a Dennis "Paxit" fitted with one shutter only being used. Standard bins can
then be emptied, and boxes and such like passed, under the fibreglass flap. The collection of
trade refuse is subject to the payment of the Council's reasonable costs by the firms seeking
the service, and the frequency of collection is based on the requirements of the trader.
Street Sweeping.
It should first be stated that it is becoming increasingly difficult to deal with the public
cleansing of highways satisfactorily, for three main reasons - firstly, the astonishing increase in
light litter and the dropping of this in the street despite the provisions of the Litter Act, 1958;
secondly, because of difficulties caused by the growth of motor parking on the highway; and
thirdly, because of the reluctance of younger active men to enter this type of employment despite
the offer of bonus incentives and attempts to introduce mechanical appliances to make the
work more attractive. A feeling of social stigma appears still to be attached to street sweeping
more than any other work and younger men refuse to be associated with it.
The section employs upwards of 90 men, the basic wage of a sweeper being £14.2.4d.
per week, in addition to which an incentive bonus of £2.2.0 per week is normally earned. Some
overtime is worked at weekends in particular; but it is becoming increasingly difficult to get men
to work on Sundays, despite the enhanced overtime rates. The current annual estimated cost of
street cleansing is £171,700. The service has recently been completely reorganised following
a work study examination and now operates as follows:
Manual Sweeping.
The Borough is divided into 42 beats; of which exactly half are three-men teams and the
remainder are worked by one man only, in each case. The three-men teams are equipped with
electrically-powdered pedestrian operated trucks of sufficient capacity for a normal day's work
(2 cubic yards), and costing approximately £580. The one-man units have simple hand trucks.
The teams are based on sub-depots in the Borough and their predetermined sweeping beats are
related to these so that the greatest number of sweeping miles are obtained. There are approximately
130 miles of road in the Borough.
It was decided that the frequency of sweeping should be related to need, so that shopping
areas and main roads get more attention than purely residential roads, though the aim is to
provide attention in all roads daily, except at weekends. Heavily-used areas receive attention
every day including Sundays; though, as indicated previously, labour difficulties are increasing.
Some lengths of road are swept continuously, while others are swept twice daily.
Mechanical Sweeping.
Unfortunately, mechanical sweeping does not provide the whole answer to labour
103