Council chiefs go ‘back to the floor’ to help empty local bins

The bin crews walk miles each day emptying thousands of bins come rain or shine and North East Derbyshire District Council Leader, Cllr Alex Dale found out the dedication needed to do this as he took to the streets in the pouring rain in Dronfield, Unstone and Cutthorpe. Cllr Charlotte Cupit, Deputy Leader of the Council, and Cabinet Member covering Streetscene, also undertook a bin round in Shirland and Higham, helping empty over 1000 bins in that one day as she supported her local community.

Cllr Dale said: “Getting hands on with our frontline services and experiencing the work they do day in day out and being part of something we all take for granted was a humbling experience. We’re not afraid to get our hands dirty and be out and about in our communities showing our commitment to providing the best services and care we can for our residents – regardless of the weather. Experiencing the work first hand gives us the opportunity to make sure our workforce have the support and equipment needed, which in turn means our residents get the best service possible whilst also highlighting the often underappreciated and necessary work they do for our communities. A huge thank you to all of our refuse crews, and the wider Streetscene service, for the fantastic job they all year round.”

Cllr Cupit added: “These teams work our streets day in, day out and over one year empty a staggering 3.1m bins. By going out with them and walking a day in their shoes really does ground you and makes you understand what an amazing job they do, serving our communities. I know our Streetscene team often go above and beyond to empty bins, help residents and keep our District clean so many thanks to them. It was great to spend some time with one of the crews, and we look forward to going out with them again soon.”

The authority has also introduced an email alert system which residents can sign up to receive email alerts the night before their bin is due so you never miss a collection day. Residents can sign up via this link: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKNEDDC/subscriber/new?topic_id=UKNEDDC_4