Proposals by Herefordshire Council to introduce wheeled bins are causing concern in Ross-on-Wye, where it would mean the end of the area’s popular Blue Box scheme and the loss of jobs for disadvantaged young people in the town.
Members of Ross-on-Wye U3A (University of the Third Age) say they are appalled at the prospect of losing the Blue Box scheme and its replacement by wheeled bins.
The local group EnviroAbility has run the Blue Box scheme for several years, providing jobs for disadvantaged young people in the town. After a talk by Dennis Humble of EnviroAbility to about 70 U3A members at their monthly meeting, local U3A chairman Hillary Stringer has been asked to write to Herefordshire Council expressing their views.
Mrs Stringer said: “We were surprised that a scheme considered to be working well might be replaced by something that might not be as good.
“The membership was appalled at the news that funding for our Blue Box scheme might be removed. It was generally agreed that it is an excellent scheme, allowing for the separation by the young people of recyclable items, and providing worthwhile jobs in our community.
“There is also the question of the size of the wheelie bins that the council proposes to use. They are large, and not everyone has a sensible place to put one.
“It would be sad to take away those jobs. Mr Humble thinks there might be alternative jobs for these young people, but they will miss the contacts they make through the work and the friendships they make with people.
“The members at the meeting asked me, as chairman, to inform the county council of our views.”
Denis Humble said: “A piece of modern local history is about to change. The Blue Box project has helped to change positively how a community feels about and reacts with disadvantaged groups, while improving the way disadvantaged groups feel about themselves.
“It has brought many of us into contact with people with learning disability in a way that would not otherwise have happened, and has helped to spread the message in the community that the service users are simply people.
“The company has become financially self-sustaining, a remarkable achievement for any organisation in this field.”
Philip and Alma Thornley, parents of volunteer Colin Thornley, said: “Colin has been involved with the work since it began in Ross nearly 10 years ago. It’s work he really enjoys and gets stuck into.
“It gives him a chance to do useful work for the community and meet folks around town.
“To be part of the recycling activity must be good for anyone’s self-esteem and makes a real contribution to the life of Ross.
“We hope the future will hold a real opportunity for Colin to continue to play his part and be involved.”
The council is running a discussion forum on its website, to discuss the issue.
On it, resident Brian Atherton says: “I support weekly waste collections and wheeled bins for recyclables, collected bi-weekly.
“Neither proposal deals 100 per cent with all problems, especially those that may be faced by the disabled and infirm, but nor does any other cost-effective scheme I can think of.
“The Ross Blue Box collection provides jobs for those with special needs, a good thing in principle but not specifically a recycling issue,” Mr Atherton says.
“Could other agencies and interested groups be approached for suitable employment for these competent workers?”
The consultation runs until June 19, and the response will be published on September 30.
