Largs & Millport Weekly News | News | Discriminated - islanders up in arms on 'rubbish' plan

Thursday, 16th October, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 16th April, 2008 10:00

Discriminated - islanders up in arms on 'rubbish' plan

By David Walker

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Discriminated ... Millport residents feel harshly treated by new council plans.

Islanders say they are being discriminated against by new council plans which could mean they will have to pay for special uplifts or travel to the mainland to get rid of unwanted items.

Either way, Cumbrae residents say they will be hit in the pocket - and fear many will resort to ‘fly tipping’ on the island to avoid the new costs.

While the Cumbrae rubbish tip was closed some years ago despite wide concerns, North Ayrshire Council told islanders that items could instead be disposed of via their uplift service.

However, plans for new charges have left residents angry once more, with some even asking if they will get lowered council tax to offset the cost of travelling to Largs to use the Haylie Brae dump.

Millport resident and member of Cumbrae Elderly Forum, June Allison said: “Once again Millport is discriminated against by the local council. They closed the ‘coup’ telling us we could dispose of items via their uplift service and now they tell us that we are to pay for this.

“We are either held to ransom by them, or we have to pay on the ferry for the means to access the dump in Largs.”

She added: “They talk about recycling and the environment, but all their short-sighted, stupid policy will mean is an increase in ‘fly-tipping’ by those who don’t care enough about the island to make the payments.

“Why should we have to pay to access the nearest dump, when those living on the mainland can freely access dumps? Do we get a discount on our council tax as a result?”

Fellow Millport resident Duncan Fraser said: “Here we are again, the residents of Cumbrae treated like trash by the small-minded bureaucrats of North Ayrshire Council. Do you honestly think the people of Cumbrae are going to pay on top of their already extortionate council tax to uplift items outwith their wheelie bins?”

Last month, NAC stated that, in order to make savings, they proposed to set an uplift charge at £12 plus VAT for up to six items per collection.

Meanwhile, for white goods and waste electrical equipment, a charge of £6 plus VAT per item was proposed.

However, local councillor Alan Hill called in the proposals, branding them a “de facto increase in council tax”, and forcing the council to look at them once more.

The plan for NAC to charge for uplifts has also led to discussions as to how unwanted items could be better used on the island.

Linda Malcolm said: “I feel strongly that many of the items left out for uplift are of reasonable quality but deemed old-fashioned. My suggestion is that the council consider allowing use of the ‘One Stop Shop’ or other council premises for the onward sale of unwanted furniture items, the proceeds to be used for community groups.

“This would have many benefits to the community, people on restricted incomes would be able to obtain goods at a fraction of the cost, local organisations would have another source of income and there would be less fly-tipping and, of course, there is the saving on fuel costs from having to leave the island to visit the tip.”