Fly Tip Bins with Asbestos
14/09/2018 16:21:00.......Posted by Yvette Hopley

Despite numerous emails to the council it appears they are unable to collect the asbestos that has been dumped at the corner of Briton Hill Road and Arkwright Road on the green.  This is a hazardous material and needs careful removal by a specialist contractor.  Many residents have contacted me worrying about the dust and particles blowing in the wind and young children who may be impacted passing this on the way to school.  Other waste has also been deposited in the bins adding to the problem.  Whilst the council have promised to send someone to deal with this two weeks have now passed since the arrival of this waste and no apparent action has taken place.  I find this quite worrying.  Surely this is urgent.

Recycling Boxes
05/09/2018 10:36:00.......Posted by Yvette Hopley

The council have agreed to collect the old recycling boxes from residents who have been given wheelie bins. Once the new collection has started old recycling boxes which have been replaced by larger bins will be taken away.

Residents who want the old recycling box collected should empty them and leave them at the front of their property on Monday 24 September. The lids should be placed inside the empty boxes. The boxes will then be collected over the next two weeks.

All residents should receive their new bins before the collection begins but if this does not happen please continue to use your old bins as you had previously.

75% of homes across the borough now have a new collection day. You can check your collection day online.

If your new bins have not yet arrived you can contact our dedicated email address wasteservices@croydon.gov.uk or call 020 8604 7282 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday

How to handle the bin change over
03/09/2018 09:09:00.......Posted by Tim Pollard

The Sanderstead councillors have been in pretty much constant contact with officers over the bin changeover (and the woeful service in the weeks leading up to it).

Today is changeover day and that means you should be putting out the new containers from today. It also means you may well have a different collection day. In theory every resident should have had a leaflet setting out their new schedule, but this clearly hasn't always worked (I didn't get a leaflet in my home, for example).

If you are online you can check your new colection schedule using the Croydon 'My Account', for which you will need to have registered for an account (this is instant, so you can do it now if you haven't already).

I understand that this week Veolia will collect from the old containers if that's what a resident puts out, but that's for this week only. Unfortunately they didn't use that sensible approach last week, when many residents were conned by the hanging tag on their bin the week before telling them to now use the new containers. What the council meant by that was 'in two weeks time you'll use this bin for plastic/cans but next week it's paper in the box as usual', but unfortunately it was not at all clear and as a result many residents put the paper out in the new blue bin, which Veolia duly ignored. 

I also brought to officers' attention that the web site was stilll refering in words and pictures for colllecting boxes this week, as nobody had remebered to update that! I believe this has now been corrected.

Unfortunately I suspect that the number of calls is not going to go down - not least because some residents are STILL trying to get the council to deliver their new bins, which are the only thing they will colllect from from now on. It's going to be a fun-filled fortniight!

Waste Services - Change of System
31/08/2018 17:17:00.......Posted by Yvette Hopley

As residents in Sanderstead will be aware the system of collecting are waste and recycling is changing.  I have included part of an email from the director of services which may be of help if residents experience problems. 

"As with all service changes of this magnitude in the initial weeks of the new service, it is anticipated there will be disruption and missed collections. Veolia have resources in place to ensure this is kept to a minimum. However, residents will be reminded via social media messages and the FAQ section on the website to report any missed collections under the new service via the normal reporting processes or via the postcode lookup page www.croydon.gov.uk/waste-recycling-collection. Please do not use the dedicated telephone lines or the waste services email address.

I have also taken the opportunity of including the link to the council’s web site where you can find full details regarding the new service.

https://www.croydon.gov.uk/environment/rrandw/changes-to-your-collections-from-september-2018/changes-to-your-collections-service?home=banner

I would also like to remind you the dedicated telephone number and email address for residents to contact council officers about their specific circumstances is operational, we have seen a rise in the number of calls over this week, the operator are coping with call volumes but during peak periods of the day residents may find it difficult to get through.   

The details for these are:

• email - wasteservices@croydon.gov.uk
• phone number – 020 8604 7282 (lines are open between 9am and 5pm"  
•  If for any reason you are unable to resolve your issues via the council please do not hesitate to contact your local councillors in the usual way.

Update on wheelie bin rollout
17/07/2018 07:46:00.......Posted by Tim Pollard

Council officers have today updated councillors about the progress towards the new 'improved' bin collection service.

Most Sanderstead houses have received their bins now, as we know from our postbag of residents asking where they are supposed to put this explosion of bins! I won't rehearse the arguments for and (mostly) against what is being done, save to say that in my opinion the council could have gone for a much more elegant combined recycling bin solution which would have reduced the number of bins required. 

There are various questions people have been asking, where I have pasted below the council's response, some of which I have shortened.

Where can residents go for more information?
• The website contains information about the service change, leaflets to download and a comprehensive list of FAQs – www.croydon.gov.uk/recycling
Residents wishing to discuss their individual circumstances further can contact a council officer using:
• a dedicated email - wasteservices@croydon.gov.uk
• a dedicated phone number – 020 8604 7282 (lines open between 9am and 5pm)

The dedicated telephone number and mailbox went live on Thursday 28 June. These are attracting on average 650 calls and 400 email per week and about a third of these are requesting site visits. About 150 site visits have been undertaken to date with approximately one third of these suggesting the properties are not suitable for the new service identified and therefore, will continue with their current configuration.

What can I do with my old boxes if I no longer need them after September?
You will need to continue to use your boxes until September. After this, you can keep them and use them around the home for storage, or take them to the Household Reuse and Recycling Centre at Fishers Farm, Factory Lane or Purley Oaks and place them in with the ‘rigid plastics’. We will be offering a booked collection service for residents who need it once the new service starts in September - more details to follow.

What if I don’t have space for the new bins?
We have surveyed the borough and will be delivering the best combination of bins for different property types depending on the different space available. Please note that the footprint of the new bins is approximately the same as the boxes, so if you currently have the boxes for recycling your property will most probably be suitable for wheeled bins. Please try using the service for a few weeks. If you’re genuinely struggling to find space to store the bins, get in touch with us and we’ll visit your property to assess and, if necessary, make alternative arrangements.

What if I don’t have space to store the new bins until I can use them? Please deliver them later.
With more than 200,000 new bins to distribute across the borough, this is going to take some time and some people may have to store their bins for up to eight weeks. We are trying to deliver bins first to areas of the borough where houses generally have more outdoor space. We’re sorry for any inconvenience.

I don’t need such large bins for recycling, can I have a smaller one or continue to use boxes?
The changes we are making are designed to encourage more recycling and to create enough capacity for this both now and in the future. For this reason we chose the 240L bin for paper and card and to re-use the existing general waste wheelie bin for other mixed recycling. Standardising the use of wheelie bins as much as possible improves efficiency and helps to generate the £5m cost savings from introducing the new contract, as well as the additional £2m over 10 years for increasing recycling rates.

What if all of my general waste cannot fit inside the new 180L wheelie bin?
From October 2018, excess general waste placed on top of or next to your bin will not be collected. All non-recyclable household waste must be placed inside the general waste wheelie bin and the lid kept shut. However, if you live in a household of five or more, or have a medical condition that means you generate additional rubbish, you may be eligible for a larger bin. We recommend that residents wait until the new service is running and they have tried using it for a few weeks before making contact. 

What consultation took place about the changes?
Specific consultation on the detail of the new contract wasn’t possible due to the way the new contract was procured by the four boroughs under the South London Waste Partnership.

Road works in Hamsey Green
17/07/2018 07:23:00.......Posted by Tim Pollard

Essex utilities on behalf of Southern Gas Networks have begun their scheme to replace gas mains in the area between Wentworth Way and the borough boundary at Tithe Pitt Shaw Lane. In order to enable these works there will be side road closures and temporary lights on Limpsfield Road. The lights will be manually controlled through the peak flows.  Letter drops and advanced warning for affected residents have apparently taken place. Any works that remain after the school holiday can only continue if their existence has no impact on the carriageway or pedestrians.

Whilst these works are ongoing, it was highlighted recently that it is necessary for other works to take place on Surrey Councils side of the border, namely Wentworth Road junction with Tithe Pitt Shaw Lane. Council officers have agreed these works, on the understanding temporary lights at the junction are delayed until after the works on Limpsfield and surrounding roads are completed.

Sanderstead Residents Association - Waitrose - 4 August - 10am
12/07/2018 10:13:00.......Posted by Yvette Hopley

Sanderstead Residents Association will be on hand at Waitrose between 10 and 12pm on Saturday, 4 August.  Members will available to talk to residents about the good work they carry out in the area and assistance they give in relation to a number of local concerns.  They work very closely with the councillors who jointly support numerous issues ranging from planning applications to organising events.  Established in 1926 The Sanderstead Ratepayers' Association was formed, later to be known as the Sanderstead Residents' Assocication.  Denis King, the chairman and his team will be happy to support you.  Membership is only £5 for which you receive two colour magazines posted to your doorstep and access to the committee's expertise.

New Bin Delivery
12/07/2018 10:10:00.......Posted by Yvette Hopley

The new bins are being rolled out in Sanderstead this week.  Do ensure you read the instructions attached to the bin and let the council know if you haven't received your new bins.  Any problems or issues of course your local Sanderstead team are here to help.

A New Bus Seat at Sanderstead Recreation Ground Bus Stop
11/07/2018 10:14:00.......Posted by Yvette Hopley

A number of elderly residents contacted the local councillors asking if a seat could be installed by the bus stop at Sanderstead Recreation Ground.  In this particularly warm weather it is good to have the opportunity to take a little rest whilst waiting for the 403.  I am pleased that the local councillors have been able to fund a new bench for residents from their community budget.  

New Crossing - Addington Road
03/07/2018 21:17:00.......Posted by Yvette Hopley

 I am pleased to inform you that the proposed works for an informal crossing on Addington Road by the junction with Harbledown Road is due to start on Monday 30th July until 5th August.  Hopefully this won't cause too much disruption and will of course improve the safety of crossing this very busy road.