Salt bins ‘could be left unfilled’ (From York Press)

Seems sensible to me. People just nick the salt for their own use; leaving the bins in place means the council can fill them if the winter is as bad as 2010/11

mrcharly wrote:
Seems sensible to me. People just nick the salt for their own use; leaving the bins in place means the council can fill them if the winter is as bad as 2010/11

I don't know if you have no idea what the story i about or you are just James Alexander, or both.

They are not being left due to the danger people will 'nick the salt' it is to save money and force (mainly rural) residents to pay their taxes and then have to ay again t refill their own bins.

The cost of refilling all the bins is peanuts (about 1% of the money wasted on the pulled LDF or 25% of the cost of 'free' wi-fi for the city centre), sadly this is being done by Labou for purely cynical, political reasons and they are putting lives at risk.

I do hate it when "politicians" give such stupid reasons to very reasonable concerns. Less salt in bins is a bad thing for local communities but did it really need this...:

"Leaving the bins out empty is likely to lead to a further deterioration in their condition and make it harder to bring them back into use."

Exactly how hard is it to "bring a bin back to use". Honestly. Good cause spoiled by dumb logic.

As a pedestrian I'm disappointed by this. Easy targets to 'achieve' such piddling savings (in the context of overall budgets) seems very short sighted. Wonder if salt bins in York councillor's parishes will be in the 199 or the 170?

but we need to save money
Why cannot in this day of the big society neighbourhoods get together and clear their own pavements?
Its not such a big deal for fitter residents to clear snow from more than their own front path
Rather than complain lets work together
Who knows it may even foster a community spirit or is that too much to ask?

Hang on - they will fill the empty bins if the weather warrants it. So those of you complaining want bins full of salt for what reason, precisely?
Makes me laugh, these are the same people who would be crying 'waste of money' if the decision were the other way round. Comment on the facts not the politics. Union Terrace - now there was a shambolic of work, or the Beckfield Lne tip closure, but this just seems common sense.

One point is that because the Council chose thesis summer to leave the bins on the streets many have been damaged and some vandalised. Many are being used as replacement litter bins following the removal of the latter by the Council!

Salt has got wet and is now solidified making them unusable

In periods of poor weather - remember 2 winters ago - the Council struggled to get round all the bins to replenish them. Talk of bringing the wrecked bins back into use if the winter is bad is frankly naive.

As for people clearing snow themselves. Yes to a point, but we are talking here about salt to clear ICE. These are the “self help” bins that are an essential part of that process.

If you look at which bins will be filled and which will be abandoned, you find that vast stretches of the City will have no bins while others will have many. For the sake of a few thousand pounds it is a barking mad economy.

I hope that people go to the meeting on Monday and make their views known.

…..And yes it is a higher priority than providing "free" WiFi access in the Museum Gardens (the taxpayer’s bill for which is over £30,000)

Even AndyD wrote:
Hang on - they will fill the empty bins if the weather warrants it. So those of you complaining want bins full of salt for what reason, precisely? Makes me laugh, these are the same people who would be crying 'waste of money' if the decision were the other way round. Comment on the facts not the politics. Union Terrace - now there was a shambolic of work, or the Beckfield Lne tip closure, but this just seems common sense.

'if the weather warrants it' - can you give me the criteria for that cut off? No as there are not any it's highly subjective and they expect parish councils to pay to refill them.

As for people criticising 'would be crying waste of money', this is a cut in years before they have been refilled so can you give examples of residents/Press web posters etc declaring it a waste of money? No because they haven't, it's a basic council service.

Can someone help me with these cost figure. Ok the council buys rock salt in large amounts (This is used by the gritting vehicles and for the salt bins) Then they send people to fill up the salt bins. So the only thing that adds to this cost is it will take longer to fill up all of the bins. But how much does it cost to refill 170 bins, or why not ask some councillors to truly represent the people and join the refilling salt bin groups help make the job go faster and do it for free (Well as free as can be)

Even AndyD wrote:
Hang on - they will fill the empty bins if the weather warrants it. So those of you complaining want bins full of salt for what reason, precisely?
Makes me laugh, these are the same people who would be crying 'waste of money' if the decision were the other way round. Comment on the facts not the politics. Union Terrace - now there was a shambolic of work, or the Beckfield Lne tip closure, but this just seems common sense.

Sorry but this council are the one making politics out of the issue, the bins would be filled with exactly the same level of funding if we had a government in power which James Alexander supported in my opinion.

The council probably goes to the same doctor as me. I've been told to cut down on my salt intake too.

I have been asking fro a salt bin to placed between the chemist on Yk Rd and The Coop, this route is a busy route used by elderly, and in the past two winters I have helped several victims who have fallen due to uncleared paths... I do my best to keep it cleared, as do Herbert Todds, St Leonards Hospice and other neighbours, but we have no salt/grit bin in the area, apart from one outside the PO which is a private one. We have approached teh council and said we would be happy to work as a community to keep this area clear but need the grit to make it safe, their response was simple, no we can't their is no money available and there is a health and safety issue!! I desperately feel sorry for the elderly people who are trying to get out, I really do my best during the snow to keep the path clear, using what I can to grit the path, but hey whilst the Council are saving money its the NHS who are burdened with the extra cost!

Micklegate wrote:

mrcharly wrote:
Seems sensible to me. People just nick the salt for their own use; leaving the bins in place means the council can fill them if the winter is as bad as 2010/11

I don't know if you have no idea what the story i about or you are just James Alexander, or both.

They are not being left due to the danger people will 'nick the salt' it is to save money and force (mainly rural) residents to pay their taxes and then have to ay again t refill their own bins.

The cost of refilling all the bins is peanuts (about 1% of the money wasted on the pulled LDF or 25% of the cost of 'free' wi-fi for the city centre), sadly this is being done by Labou for purely cynical, political reasons and they are putting lives at risk.

Of course, it would be great if all the salt bins were filled over the winter period. However, to equate such a move with 'putting lives at risk' appears to be a cynical political move on behalf of Micklegate rather than the other way round.

Closing Hospital wards and restricting access to diagnostic services for the sick, would I suggest truly put lives at risk!

Micklegate wrote:

Even AndyD wrote:
Hang on - they will fill the empty bins if the weather warrants it. So those of you complaining want bins full of salt for what reason, precisely? Makes me laugh, these are the same people who would be crying 'waste of money' if the decision were the other way round. Comment on the facts not the politics. Union Terrace - now there was a shambolic of work, or the Beckfield Lne tip closure, but this just seems common sense.

'if the weather warrants it' - can you give me the criteria for that cut off? No as there are not any it's highly subjective and they expect parish councils to pay to refill them.

As for people criticising 'would be crying waste of money', this is a cut in years before they have been refilled so can you give examples of residents/Press web posters etc declaring it a waste of money? No because they haven't, it's a basic council service.

Cut off is probably similar to those used to send gritters out. I personally don't know what they are, but I'm sure they exist.

All I'm saying it too many posters on here have a political agenda, which masks their view of facts. Or put it another way, Micklegate, give me one example of a post you've made supporting a council decision in the last 12 months. Just one where you have posted. I vote Labour but think the Beckfield Lane tip and Union Terr. debacle were bad decisions (although one was reversed). I am even supportive of the AH brigade and their complaints. Like I say - its about issues, not which flag you insist on waving in the face of all evidence. This is how governments get away with so much - their hard core non-thinking supporters let them do what they want simply because the hate the 'other lot'. Political opinion isn't an off the peg coat you wear, it shouldn't bypass the brain.

This was one of only a handful of councils that increased council tax this year, contrary to the Government guidelines. What is the additional money raised being used for if not for things like salt bins?

And before you say it, no I won't be voting blindly at the next election, if the bad decisions outweigh the good, then you've got to look at what other candidates are proposing - albeit with a pinch of salt. (no pun!).

Pete the Brickie wrote:

Even AndyD wrote:
Hang on - they will fill the empty bins if the weather warrants it. So those of you complaining want bins full of salt for what reason, precisely?
Makes me laugh, these are the same people who would be crying 'waste of money' if the decision were the other way round. Comment on the facts not the politics. Union Terrace - now there was a shambolic of work, or the Beckfield Lne tip closure, but this just seems common sense.

Sorry but this council are the one making politics out of the issue, the bins would be filled with exactly the same level of funding if we had a government in power which James Alexander supported in my opinion.

Fair enough - I think they are all out to political point score. Never miss an opportunity, if they spent as much time providing services/policy as they did ensuring they are elected next time round - we'd all be in a far better state, nationally and locally.

Even AndyD wrote:

Micklegate wrote:

Even AndyD wrote: Hang on - they will fill the empty bins if the weather warrants it. So those of you complaining want bins full of salt for what reason, precisely? Makes me laugh, these are the same people who would be crying 'waste of money' if the decision were the other way round. Comment on the facts not the politics. Union Terrace - now there was a shambolic of work, or the Beckfield Lne tip closure, but this just seems common sense.

'if the weather warrants it' - can you give me the criteria for that cut off? No as there are not any it's highly subjective and they expect parish councils to pay to refill them. As for people criticising 'would be crying waste of money', this is a cut in years before they have been refilled so can you give examples of residents/Press web posters etc declaring it a waste of money? No because they haven't, it's a basic council service.

Cut off is probably similar to those used to send gritters out. I personally don't know what they are, but I'm sure they exist. All I'm saying it too many posters on here have a political agenda, which masks their view of facts. Or put it another way, Micklegate, give me one example of a post you've made supporting a council decision in the last 12 months. Just one where you have posted. I vote Labour but think the Beckfield Lane tip and Union Terr. debacle were bad decisions (although one was reversed). I am even supportive of the AH brigade and their complaints. Like I say - its about issues, not which flag you insist on waving in the face of all evidence. This is how governments get away with so much - their hard core non-thinking supporters let them do what they want simply because the hate the 'other lot'. Political opinion isn't an off the peg coat you wear, it shouldn't bypass the brain.

I don't have details of posts when I have supported the council, but I didn't make the claim you did. I do support many things the council does. As for 'I'm sure they exist' on the criteria why not check? Give the council a ring and ask at what point they plan on refilling the bins? Or go on twitter and ask Kersten or James?

That makes it much easier to steal if there's no weight in! Sell them or put them in storage before that happens!

I'm going to hazard a guess and state then when the snow comes there will be no gritting or clearing of any cycle routes in the city.

As for using the salt, as far as I understand the law it is OK to use salt from these bins to make an access route for members of the public carrying out a service such as postmen, meter readers, etc to get from the road to your door. 'Access Route' means just wide enough for somebody to walk along, not completely clearing your entire driveway. In addition to this, where footpaths are not cleared I believe every resident who is fit and able to do so should take responsibility for clearing the public footpath outside their house using salt from the bins. In years gone by I've filled up on salt and then spread it halfway down the road on the footpaths.