Lovely Black Eyes & Agency Workers

by Brian Bamford
 Health & Safety in the Waste Manager's Office?

PEALS of laughter greeted the announcement at a meeting of the Unite Greater Manchester Activists last February, that a waste disposal manager had ended-up sporting a black-eye after an interview with an agency worker at Bury Council's Bradley Fold Waste Depot.  Last January an agency worker had been querying his own status, having been 8-years a temp working for Bury MBC on insecure tenure and unable to get a mortgage with a wife who’d just given birth.

The complaining agency worker, who'd done an 8-year unsecure stint, told Northern Voices that Mr. Stuart had claimed in justification that there were agency workers in other local authorities in Greater Manchester who had done up to 15-years as agency workers.

No-one knows for sure what took place next in the office of the waste manager, Glenn Stuart, but there seems to have been an altercation which resulted in a complaint to the police on the 23^rd, January from Mr. Stuart who ended up with a black-eye. Northern Voices contacted the Greater Manchester Police in April, and asked if the police were investigating this as an allegation of common assault and requesting the crime or log number on this case?

Although it's clear that this case was reported to the police it seems that it turned out to be 'one person's word against another', because we're told that Mr. Stuart keeps the blinds closed in his office.

The secretive Mr. Stuart has a thing about privacy, and doesn't like the fact that in 2016 some folk in Bury took to photographing the town's overflowing bins.  At that time on May 1st, 2016 The Mail on Sunday journalist, Martin Delgardo, reporting on the management style of Stuart in a headline wrote: 'Bin tsar who slashed collections to one every THREE WEEKS tries to crack down on opposition by banning photographs of overflowing bins'.


However, after the 'violent' incident at Bradley Fold, a letter was sent out to binmen and other members of staff reminding everyone of the importance of health and safety and the Council's commitment to a safe environment.  There is talk of a 'them and us attitude' in the Bradley Fold waste depot, and some cynics among the workforce are muttering about a cover-up as to what really went on behind the Venetian blinds of the waste manager's office last January.

As the headline 'Bin Tsar' in the Mail on Sunday report in 2016 above suggests, Mr. Stuart has a reputation as something of a zealot in the realm of rubbish collection, which he seems to covert.  

As the Mail on Sunday stated he was then warning that he may get tougher still to force the people of Bury into recycling, saying:  ‘People have been given ample opportunity to fall in line. We need to formulate a plan of action in terms of enforcement.’

The scheme’s opponents claimed it had led to an increase in rat infestation.   With Iain Gartside, leader of the Conservative group on Bury council, saying:  ‘It’s an absolutely disgrace, with overflowing bins and increased fly-tipping.’

Meanwhile in last week's Bury Times the leader of Bury Council, Labour Councillor Rishi Shori said:  'Fly-tipping is a growing problem in the borough, although the council has allocated additional resources to tackle the problem in three main ways, focusing on prevention:  the installation of CCTV cameras in fly-tipping hotspots, enforcement and, where possible, by removing fly-tipped items, although this is becoming increasingly more difficult due to the budget pressures we are under.' 

Recently we can't help but notice that the 'installation of CCTV cameras in fly-tipping hotspots' has had the consequence of shifting the flytipping from the town centres and urban areas of Bury to the more posh, leafy zones like Tottington and Stubbins.  No wonder the Tories are upset.

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Waste Disposal in Manchester

THIS week, it was reported that waste handling in Greater Manchester is to be taken back into public ownership.    The Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) has told Viridor, and its joint venture partner John Laing, that it is terminating the region’s long-term waste contract.

On the 4th, May, Robin Latchem, the editor of 'Material Recycling World' [MRW], wrote:

'It was one of the worst-kept secrets in the sector that the GMWDA and Viridor-Laing partnership was on the rocks.'

Back in February, the Greater Manchester Authority raised concerns with Viridor Laing over the progress being made on these works, including 'significant rusting issues' in the mechanical and biological treatment plant tanks and the in-vessel composting facilities.

The authority’s relations with Viridor Laing over the 25-year, £3.8bn private finance initiative deal became even more frayed in recent months, as Costain continued with repairs to some of the 42 facilities.

At that time, in February, it was reported that a trading update from parent company Pennon showed that the construction contractor Costain was making modifications at some facilities servicing the 25-year, £3.8bn private finance initiative (PFI) contract with Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA).

The Greater Manchester Authority approved the termination of the contract at a meeting last week. This comes several months after the waste authority revealed that it was ‘not satisfied’ with the status of the contract, and had been seeking ‘significant savings’ through the deal (see letsrecycle.com story).

The Pennon Group – the parent company of Viridor – has noted that there are provisions in the PFI contract for compensation to be paid to Viridor and John Laing on termination.  And, in a statement issued on the 2nd, May, Pennon claimed that the Authority’s exit from the contract is due to ‘financial challenges’ caused by prolonged austerity.

These concerns prompted the authority to decided to exit the PFI deal.

The company has stated:  'Discussions and negotiations are now expected to progress over the coming weeks as we work with GMWDA to ascertain the implications. There are provisions in the PFI Contract for compensation to be paid to Viridor and John Laing on termination.'

The contract involved the development and operation of a total of 42 facilities – totalling more than £600 million – for the management of waste from Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford councils across the Greater Manchester area.

The decision to bring an end to the contract comes eight years after it was agreed. GMWDA – which described itself as England’s largest waste disposal authority – signed the long-term waste contract with Viridor Laing in 2009 at a value of £3.2 billion over the course of its 25-year lifespan.

And with this termination of the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal's contract one pundit commented;
'This looks like the beginning of the end for long term all encompassing local authority contracts that presumably lack flexibility to cope with the world as it changes fast.'

Councillor Cecile Biant on Fly-Tipping

Rochdale Councillor Biant representing Spotland & Falign Ward!
FOLLOWING the report in Northern Voices on the Rochdale Township Committeee Meeting at the Riverside building in Rochdale town centre, one of the Labour councillors for Spotland & Falinge ward, Cecile Biante, sent the response below.  Spotand & Falinge ward is where Spodden Valey is situated. (Editor)

Hello Brian,

What a lot of nonsense! We already had a paper in front of us with the answers to the questions which the officer read out, and the ward councillors knew anyway. The Head of Public Protection had been on leave for 2 weeks, that is why Mick Coates did not get a specific response from Wendy Cocks, a fellow Councillor, as she wanted to check for any updates beforehand. We discuss TBA frequently informally.

Mick proclaimed that he is an expert, and I am familiar with his employment over many years, but he apparently failed to notice that the illegal tipping was mainly inert material which did not pose an immediate health risk. The Environment Agency are dealing with this, not the Council. Mick Coates has been sent the answers to his questions  which I would have thought he would have shared with you by now.

The Councillors are all positive, friendly, knowledgeable, relaxed and diligent. We always try to respond to emails which are brief, civil, genuine requests, but not to those who are hell bent on nastiness or self-indulgence. Life is too short for that.

Most of us have a great deal of common sense, wisdom and experience. We are neither sullen nor were we sitting stiffly.

Please send me a photograph of how you sit, as I am curious to know how it compares with the Councillors present last night.

With best wishes,

Cecile Biant

Bury Council Leader & Zero Waste

Reply to Brian Bamford, Bury Branch Secretary for Unite, from Councillor Mike Connolly, Leader of Bury MBC, who writes:

'Mr Bamford is not correct in all of his assumptions.

'This is not a recent instruction. It has always been the case that waste operatives should not take side waste left by the grey bins. This message is also consistent on literature that is sent out to residents and information that is on the web-site.

'We are asking operatives to take cardboard side waste or occasional blue bin waste that is left by the side of green bins and only when it is safe to do so.

'The crews are requested to use their judgement when collecting bins that have the lids slightly raised, and only when safe to do so. The information that is provided to the public is that bin lids should be closed. (which also reduces the risk of odours, vermin and flies).

'It has always been the case that the operatives use their judgement not to take bins which are too heavy. In such cases the bin will be stickered to explain why the bin has been left. The crews also receive support from the recycling awareness and enforcement team

'Waste management has a team of recycling and enforcement officers who support the waste operatives on a daily basis. Side waste, heavy bins and fly tipping can be reported through the on-board computer which is then followed up by visits to households to provide help and advice to residents.

'The back up service provided by the recycling and enforcement team is also to be enhanced by providing each crew with a direct contact to a support offices for improved communication and follow up.

'There is no evidence to suggest that there should be an increase in side waste or fly tipping (which is the case in Falkirk). What we are asking residents to do is place all recyclable materials in the blue, green or brown bins.

'Therefore the grey bin should only contain the lighter materials such as food containers, yogurt pots and plastic bags. The heavier materials such as food waste should be in the brown bin (which will stay at 2 weekly collection) and blue bin materials such as glass (which will increase to 3 weekly collection)

The Council is already aware of areas where there may be a higher risk of fly tipping such as some of the back streets. These are currently being tackled jointly between waste management, cleansing and Environmental Health

'In terms of over full grey bins, where households are recycling everything they can and there is a genuine need for extra space e.g. larger families, an application can be made for an extra grey bin. Extra green and blue bins can also be provided free of charge.

'The Council is fully committed to supporting its in-house workforce. The new waste management system is about increasing recycling and making sure that the right stuff goes in the right bin. A 10% increase in recycling could save going on for £1 million per year and help protect other services.

'I am sure Mr Bamford as representative for Unite the Union is aware that the aim of the new system is to achieve efficiency savings through increased recycling and not a cut to the existing workforce. No jobs will be lost in the waste service as a result of these changes.'