Petition - Changes to Haringey Waste Services

Hi Everyone [click here for the direct link to the petition].

The recent changes to Haringey's waste service have been well documented on this site in recent days.  To recap, these include charging for garden waste collections, replacement bins (unless damaged by Veolia) and bulk collections.  If you're familiar with the context, then please feel free to head straight to the petition here. NB... Per Michael's comment please scroll to the end of the next page on the petition site to register your signature.

If not, then read on... Charging for these services isn't uncommon in London - a number of boroughs now do so.  However, the basis and evidence case that Haringey Council have used for this is questionable.  Papers presented to council members for the Medium Term Financial Strategy (of which this forms part) shows the impact assessment of these changes on residents.  There are seven potential negative outcomes on residents identified in Council decision papers as a result of implementing these changes.  These are:

• An increase to fly tipping
• Increased use of Recycling and Reuse Centres (one of which I believe is earmarked for closure)
• A decrease in overall resident satisfaction
• An increase in side waste
• Discouraging recycling
• An increase in stolen bins

You can see the assessment here. No single positive outcome to residents was identified.  For the council, a positive benefit of £775k in year one, dropping by 30% in year 2 to £525 suggesting the sustainability of these proposals is poor.  In order to implement the changes, the Council will be investing at least £150k (IT systems, comms etc).  Furthermore, no evidence was presented that a saving will be realised on the Veolia contract due to the reduction in scope.

Given the issues of fly tipping across the borough continue to gather pace, the council have had evidence provided to them that these changes will only serve to increase the problem.  Personally, I don't find that acceptable.  Things are pretty bad as it stands (example view of a local road today attached).  If you agree, please do take a couple of moments to sign the petition by clicking on the link at the top.

Could I close with a small favour to ask?  If anyone knows any means to spread this petition to other community sites, blogs etc in Haringey, please do so!  Thank you for reading.