To be totally and utterly fed up with Hartlepool Council and Thirteen?

[EmptyTheFrickingBins]

I'm a regular posted but have name changed because this is going to be outing!

My bin was emptied today for the first time since May (you are not reading that wrong!)

I have contacted Hartlepool Council (HBC from now on) on multiple occasions asking for them to come and empty the bins and the only response they have given is "the bins weren't emptied because they weren't presented."

The bins weren't presented first because because the gates to the communal yard were padlocked closed and then because pest control work was being carried out and we were asked to stay out of the yard.

There are 10+ bins of both colours overflowing with rubbish.

A rat jumped out of mine last night when I was moving it! As a ground floor tenant (small block of flats) I'm paranoid about them getting in to my flat!

I spoke to the today and was told they wouldn't empty the grey recycling bins because they are filled with general waste. They are, but the contractors employed by Thirteen are the ones who filled them while they were killing 60+ rats and removing over a ton of rubbish. I was told to take the rubbish to the local tip - I don't drive and even if I did I wouldn't want rat piss and shit covered rubbish (not to mention the maggots, rotting food and other assorted disgustingness) anywhere near my car. It's a health hazard!

Neither HBC nor Thirteen are willing to take responsibility for the rubbish.

I am so totally and utterly fed up of the stink, the flies, the rats and just fighting with them that I'm considering moving.

I have just written to my MP but is there anything else I can do?

Rest of the pics

Sounds grim. Who's your local councillor? I'd contact them. Maybe I'm lucky but mine is a superstar and gets stuff done.

This is the current state of the yard! Every one of those bins is full with maggoty, stinking and ratty rubbish!

It's strong downstairs and you can even smell it upstairs (I went up to the communal landing for those pics!)

Local councillors, definitely! Do you have a Tenants’ and Residents’ association? Estate officer?

That is disgusting, send photos, even contact the local press.

Speak to your MP

Have you contacted your local councillor rather than the employees of the council...they are often very helpful in these circumstances

Contact the following (or threaten to)
HBC chief executive
Local government ombudsman
The press/Local media
Your MP.

Done!

Can you afford to get it cleared by a private company temporarily? I know you shouldn't have to but I think I'd do this if I could afford it. You poor thing. It looks horrific.

Unfortunately, no. I'm on a very restricted budget due to ill health.

Just emailed the counciler too.

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.

That pathetic woman wouldn't be able to find Hartlepool on a map.

Who is your Councillor? I contacted Matt about the parking permits for the Tall Ships and he sorted it.

Yes contact the press and let the council know youre doing it.

Put the pictures on twitter, Facebook etc.

Hopfully local press will take an interest.

Actually, thinking about it contact the local newspaper.

Name and shame them online.

i think your MP will be interested because, she needs to make a point that she’s better than the majority Labour Council.

Would you mind doing not posting bullshit? Hartlepool does not have a majority Labour Council.

It does, but they missed overall control by 3 votes. Did you have to be so rude?

Manor Ward, contacted all three listed.

Also all of you saying to contact the MP - I've already done that!

Go on the council social media, find a post about bins and recycling, comment on it with photos of the situation and then get all the neighbours to react to it/share it etc. Preferably tag your local MP too, just for giggles. Do the same with Thirteen (actually put it on their "Feedback from our customers is important to us" post from 21st July if that is the right Thirteen).

So not a majority then. They are the largest party, but have neither a majority or are in overall control. In fact,they are in opposition.

I wasn't rude. I asked you to stop posting bullshit. You haven't.

The Labour Party are the majority party in Hartlepool Council in that they have more councillors than any other party, although they don’t have overall control. I could have called them the largest party, that might have caused you less angst. You are very rude, and you are derailing the thread of someone who is dealing with a very unpleasant issue. I will not engage with you further.

Was it the council that padlocked the gates? If not, its hard to see why they are responsible for the build up of waste.

Majority means they have more than everyone else.

Please show the numbers that prove your statement. Any party with a majority has overall control. In 2010, by your logic, the Conservatives had a majority, yet they had to seek coalition partners because they were nothing more than the party with most MPs due to having less than the 50%+1 required to have, you know, an actual majority.

Get the Gazette and the Hartlepool Mail on the case -bad publicity is the best way to get them to listen.