Forum Topic

Translations vs. Garden Waste Collection

It is deplorable that Hounslow Council is using our ratepayers’ money to offer translation and printing of a council notice (i.e. re the wheelie bins) in 15 (fifteen) languages, and now demands an additional charge for the collection of garden waste. There is no doubt that the cost of 15 translations and additional printing is considerable and probably wasteful if the whole print-run is not called for from residents, who obviously want to live here but do not take the trouble to learn the language of their host country. If they are unable to read and understand a Council communication, the Council should not support their ignorance but rather let them pay for a translation themselves or suffer the consequences.The wheelie bins for garden waste will make our streets even more unsightly because they too will most likely be placed in front gardens. The argument that only those who use the garden waste collection service should pay for it is ludicrous – how many residents, like me, have no children but pay for all sorts of children-related services through our rates.

Christl Blofeld ● 3465d5 Comments

Well said Raymond, 'one payment fits all'. If this is not to be the case then the council needs to provide us with a menu from which we can select services we use and will pay for and those we don't use and therefore don't want to pay for.  From a council perspective it will be an excellent way of disguising cost creep in council tax, and of course it will allow them to employ a few hundred people to write, administer, and translate the menu into those 15 languages.

Lorne Gifford ● 3456d

I feel sorry for those whose gardens back onto any parks.I hope that they'll just lob the leaves back rather than collect them for the councils (unless of course they want to make the effort to compost them for themselves).

Philippa Bond ● 3459d

A large proportion of Hounslow residents  have large gardens in several districts.Most in Brentford and Chiswick small gardens.A great many do not have children and do not use the education service,A great many live in flats that have a chute waste and do not have to deal with putting out waste.A great many do not use any council services.Very few actually use Social and care services per 1000 residents.yet they are being made to pay dearly.Private residents and businesses subsidise Council residents rents but again only some benefit.Some have to pay a fortune in CPZs. Others do not.That leads to disadvantages if self employed trying to compete against someone in the next streetIt all evens out there are plus and minuses for most.But if this is the route to take then why should those who don't use these other services not also be able to opt out or get a rebate?Just pay for what you use.Of course it won't work which is why it should be one charge for all and no back door hikes to subsidise others.

Raymond Havelock ● 3461d

A large proportion of Council Tax paying residents in Brentford do not have gardens, so why would we fund the disposal of garden waste for those that do?

Paul Scullion ● 3461d

If you read the 'English' Leaflet it is little wonder it needs translating.The use of the English language is completely unsound to the point of being both contradictory and misleading.I wonder if it is as ham fisted in other languages?

Raymond Havelock ● 3463d