By Andrew Argo

A DUNDEE councillor yesterday welcomed an Angus councillor’s suggestion that people in Broughty Ferry should take their rubbish into Monifieth.

Rod Wallace was responding to the comments of Helen Oswald, who was concerned at the possibility of more illegal fly-tipping in Angus as a result of the sudden and unexpected closure of Dundee’s civic amenity skips at Baldovie.

Councillor Oswald, member for Sidlaw East and Ashludie, pleaded with people who may be thinking of dumping their rubbish in the countryside to think again “and use the other facilities available, both in Angus and Dundee.”

The nearest Angus civic amenity site to Baldovie is at Riverview in Monifieth, while the other Dundee sites are at Marchbanks and Riverside.

For people in the Broughty Ferry area, the site in Monifieth is closer.

Councillor Wallace, who represents Balgillo in Broughty Ferry, said, “It is disappointing that the Baldovie skips have been closed, and the most logical ones for people in this area to use are those at Monifieth.

“I am glad that Councillor Oswald has made this offer, and I hope residents in this part of the town will make use of the skips at Monifieth.

“This would be only in the short-term until the Baldovie skips are upgraded, and Broughty Ferry people using the Monifieth skips will also help Angus.

“Dundee has a good record for waste recycling, and Broughty Ferry people using the Monifieth skips will increase the Angus recycling figures because higher waste recycling is a requirement of the Scottish Executive.”

Dundee City Council’s decision to suddenly close the Baldovie site has caused surprise and puzzlement. It serves a large part of the east of the city, and as well as concerns about illegal dumping in the countryside people have wondered about the timing of the closure.

People have asked why it was being done now at the start of the busy summer gardening season, and whether it would have been better to have the skips closed over the winter months when demand for re-cycling was lower.

Councillor Wallace said he and neighbouring Councillor Bruce Mackie, member for Barnhill, raised these points last week with Jim Laing, the council’s head of waste management.

“He told us that for operational reasons the council’s hands were tied because of a recommendation from the health and safety officer that the Baldovie skips were dangerous.

“They were only ever intended to be a temporary installation, with the skips reached by people carrying their bulky refuse up a wooden ramp. We have been advised that the whole structure is ageing and unsafe and has been recommended for closure.

“Mr Laing said they appreciated they may take a lot of flak over the decision, but there was nothing else that they could do.

“We asked if the impact of the closure could be lessened by the council providing individual skips at other locations in the east of the city but were told this couldn’t happen, because for health and safety reasons the council would have to put people on duty at them, and this was something the council can’t do.

“We asked if more garden waste brown bins could be provided to householders but were told that this can’t be done. More brown bins have been delivered to the council but these are intended for people in other parts of the city who don’t yet have them.

“We asked if the kerbside garden waste collection service could be increased, but were told that this can’t happen either because collection routes have already been worked out and timetables printed.

“We also asked if the kerbside collection service could be made more flexible by the collectors accepting garden waste that is not in the brown bins, but we were told that this isn’t possible for health and safety reasons.

“The lorries are designed only to match up with the brown bins which clip on to them, and the operatives can’t lift bags or bulky waste on to the lorries.”

Councillor Wallace said they also raised the possibility of the council officially asking Angus Council to allow Dundee people to take their rubbish to Monifieth.

He continued, “Mr Laing said they couldn’t do this at an official level for political reasons, but I now notice Councillor Oswald has made that offer.”

The Dundee councillors have been assured that the improved Baldovie skips will be worth waiting for when they are opened next spring.

They will be like those at Marchbanks, with people being able to drive up ramps to tip their rubbish into low-level containers rather than have to walk up wooden platforms and lift their refuse over barriers.

Angus Council administration leader Rob Murray commented, “We encourage anyone who is considering fly-tipping in the Angus countryside to think again and use the Monifieth recycling centre instead.

“We do not have a view on the Baldovie centre being closed and have never discouraged people from Broughty Ferry from using the recycling centre in Monifieth.

“We are well aware that they do it and are quite happy for them to use the facility.

“It would be far better for them to use the Monifieth recycling centre than to fly-tip in the Angus countryside.”