Dear LPG, 

I read the recent post on the subject of the state of our bin collections and agree with everything that SP had to say (►►►).

While some of the bin men are very good at making sure that the bins are replaced reasonably near the gates where they were taken from, all too often I have to go four or five doors up or down the street in search of mine once they have been.  

Each week, when I go out to get my grey food recycling bin, I find it in an even worse state than the week before.  When it is time to replace them after collection, I often find mine left on its side looking as if it has been thrown back towards my front garden rather than placed there.  It is scuffed and scratched and has now been damaged to the point where I have had to apply for a replacement.  I know that I and many of my neighbours spend time cleaning and maintaining them.  Surely a replacement due to what can only be called collection carelessness is just adding to the recycling problems we already have in the borough.   

The other day I happened to leave my house and pass them working as I walked down the street.  I stopped one of the crew and mentioned my concern at which point he asked which number I lived at.  I told him and he informed me that they would make a point of seeing that special care is taken when they replace my bin in future.  I said that it was really caring and kind of him to tell me that, but the problem affects all the residents, and we need the service to improve on a wider scale than that.

I am all too aware that, when complaining by phone or on the Lewisham Borough site you have to give your address.   I remember what it is like to be complained about when working and I know that mentioning my street will pinpoint one particular bin crew.  This is why I have not complained officially so far but, when I look around the borough as I pass roads and streets that have recently experienced refuse collection, it is more than obvious that the problem is borough wide.  

Having read the other LPG post on the subject where SC starts her letter with an enquiry as to if she is the only person who feels that they could do a better job, I would like to assure her that she is not alone.  

I suspect that the problem is the usual one when it comes to council services these days; there are not enough people to do the work more efficiently but, as our council tax goes up, are we right to expect to pay more for a less acceptable service?

VS, Brockley.