Author: Lesley Webb

Strike Action

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Potential industrial action: Update and advice

Unite union members working on Somerset waste collections plan to take industrial action starting from Wednesday 12 July. They intend to strike on Wednesday, Thursday Friday, each week for the four weeks from Wednesday 12 July to Friday 4 August.

We hope industrial action can be avoided and will do everything practical to minimise disruption. However, if it goes ahead large numbers of missed collections will be unavoidable across all parts of the county.

***NOTE: Industrial action could be called off as late as Tuesday 11 July 2023 – if that happens collections would operate as normal***

We will prioritise collections of clinical waste, refuse and waste from communal properties and schools BUT this is no guarantee these collections will take place on time.

Recycling collections are much more likely to be missed as staff are redeployed. We will do our best to make sure everyone gets at least one recycling collection during the strike.

We do not plan to suspend garden waste collections but expect significant delays. We will make a decision about existing subscriptions when we know the full impact of strike action.

Throughout the strike www.somerset.gov.uk/strike will be the best place for the latest information about disruption and advice on how to manage waste when collections are missed. Please check it frequently.

We will email Somerset Councillors an update each morning during disruption and raise public awareness through various channels – media, social media, emails to parish councils etc. Online and digital information does not suit all, but given the fast-changing nature of the situation they will be valuable tools for providing timely updates.

Waste Services will be focussed on limiting disruption and all other work would be delayed. Please limit direct contact with the team to essential and urgent matters only.

All 16 of Somerset’s recycling sites will be open as usual and can take almost all the materials collected at the kerbside, as well as refuse as a last resort.

Key messages for the public

  • Continue to put your recycling, refuse and garden waste out on your usual collection days throughout the strike period – but expect many missed collections.
  • If your collection of recycling or garden waste is missed, bring your boxes, bags and bin back inside and put out again on your next scheduled collection day.
  • If your refuse or clinical collection is missed, leave it out and report a missed collection.
  • Put your waste out before 7am or the night before, even if your collection usually takes place later in the day – crews may be working routes differently.
  • There are three extra possible collection days for residents scheduled to get recycling collections on Wednesday 12 July, Thursday 13 July, Friday 14 July and Friday 21 July.
  • From 17 July onwards crews will accept one additional black sack of refuse at the side of the bin. Extra recycling will also be accepted, if presented as explained below.
  • Please report missed refuse of clinical collections. Do not report missed recycling or garden waste collections.

 Service specific messages for the public

 Refuse and clinical collections

  • When to present: put your refuse out on your usual collection day throughout the strike.

From 17 July onwards crews will accept one additional black sack of refuse, placed at the side of the bin.

  • If missed: report a missed collection in the usual way, online using the My Waste Services A crew will try and return as soon as they can, but long delays are likely.

Recycling collections

  • When to present: put your recycling out on your usual collection day throughout the strike. However, we expect to see high numbers of missed collections.
  • What to do if missed: take it in and put it out again on your next scheduled recycling day.

There are special arrangements for anyone with a recycling collection due on Wednesday 12 July, Thursday 13 July and Friday 14 July and Friday 21 July only.

  • If missed on Wednesday 12 July, put it out again on Monday 17 July.
  • If missed on Thursday 13 July, put it out again on Tuesday 18 July.
  • If missed on Friday 14 July and Friday 21 July put it out again on Monday 24 July.

We’ll do our best to ensure everyone gets at least one recycling collection during the strike.

  • Presenting extra recycling: during strike disruption only, extra recycling can be put out for collection in the following ways:
    • Plastics and cans in an open bag, like a bag for life, or a carboard box.
    • Glass needs to stay in your recycling box.
    • Cardboard folded and placed next to your recycling box, please keep to a minimum.

Food waste must stay in your food waste bin. If you are concerned about holding on to food waste for long periods, as a last resort you can double-bag it and put it in your refuse bin.

 Garden waste collections (bin and sack)

  • When to present: put your garden waste bin out on your usual collection day throughout the strike period.

If strike action goes ahead it is unlikely crews will be able to collect it.

  • What to do if missed: bring your garden waste bin back in and put it back out again on your next scheduled collection day.

Bulky collections and container deliveries:

Both services will be suspended for the strike period.

Existing bulky collection bookings will be rescheduled.

We will do our best to honour existing orders of containers, but they are likely to be delayed.

Advice on managing waste when collections are missed

This is available on the somerset.gov.uk/strike webpage. It focusses on making the most of space in recycling boxes and bags, and options for food waste if collections are missed for a prolonged period. These are not ideal solutions, but they could help some residents during a difficult time.

Somerset Council Waste Services

Updates

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Benefice Newsletter 06.07.23

Please find below the latest waste briefing from Somerset Council, with news on potential industrial action, plastic free July, and fire prevention in your waste.

SC Waste Briefing 2023 July

Additionally, please find below a poster which warns residents of the hazard of including camping gas canisters in collections.

Gas Can Warning Poster

Police Notices

  1. There has been a rise in the number of vans being broken into and the contents being stolen. This especially applies to those vehicles which have tools inside, as the cost of second-hand tools has increased recently.

Please read the attached document for tips on how to increase the security of your vans.

Attachments: as-van-security-general.pdf

2. There has been some anti-social behaviour recently in the Barns Close area of Dulverton.   A window and light have been broken by youths playing football.  If you have any information regarding this incident, please ring 101 or email 8913@avonandsomerset.police.uk.

3. Anti Social Behaviour poster

06.23 PC Minutes 26th June 2023 (Draft until approved at the next meeting)

To mow or not to mow, that is the question!

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All local authorities have a legal duty to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity. The duty aims to raise the profile and visibility of biodiversity and to make it a natural and integral part of policy and decision making. The Parish does not receive any additional money to facilitate this duty.  Grass cutting must also be paid for by the parish.

With the environment in mind, Timberscombe Parish Council signed up to the Climate Emergency Declaration.  We have pursued environmentally friendly policies, such as No Mow May, planting trees in the parish and not using pesticides on roadside weeds.

Our decision not to mow the village green, to encourage the growth of wildflowers, has proved controversial and the Council would now like to hear your views on whether to continue with the current policy of not mowing the green during the summer months.

Each household in the village will be receiving a questionnaire over the next few days. To have your say simply return this questionnaire to Timberscombe Post Office between 10th and 15th July. (The Post Office is closed this week). In the event you do not receive a questionnaire further copies will be available in the Post Office.

The vote will be one vote per household. In the event that people within your household have differing views , please tick both boxes.

Please note the questionnaires have been numbered to prevent mass copying. No record has been kept of which household received which numbers and questionnaires will be anonymous.

We welcome your participation.

tree felling on Wootton Ridge

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This is the response from John Ebsary, Area Forester Exmoor & Quantocks, Forestry England, to Timberscombe Parish Council, regarding tree felling on Wootton Ridge adjacent to the Oway in the bird nesting season.
We are still working with Forestry England and Exmoor National Park on how they can better inform local landowners and the public of impending works.

Sustainable forest management at Wootton Common

Forestry England’s woodlands across Wootton Common are working timber forest, managed to the international Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) standards. Our accreditation is managed via the UK Woodland Assurance Standard who audit Forestry England every year.

Until the installation of a new service road in 2021, these woodlands have been difficult to access. With the new road in place, we are working across a wide area of Wootton Common for the first time in more than 20 years to improve the long-term health and resilience of the forest.

Because Wootton Common hasn’t been worked for many years, the forest’s trees are mostly of a similar age and size. This creates a uniform forest structure that limits both the habitat value and aesthetic character of the forest. We are currently thinning trees across a wide area to break up this structure. This has multiple benefits: giving the remaining trees more light and warmth to grow to their potential; improving conditions for flora on the forest floor; enhancing habitat for wildlife, increasing the resilience of the forest against pests and diseases. We are also clear felling two smaller areas to remove mature trees and those at risk of storm damage. In these areas, the ground will rest for a year or two before we plant more than 30,000 new trees. These will be a mixture of conifer species that are suitable for the conditions on site. In the meantime, the resting ground will soon ‘green up’ and provide wonderful habitat for ground nesting birds such as nightjar, small mammals, insects, and reptiles.

Planning the most suitable time of year for forestry work is a complex compromise between the needs of people and wildlife, the safety of the site, tree health, local topography (e.g. steep slopes that might cause water run off), soil condition, likely rainfall, and much more. There is no perfect time of year for forestry work; we make local decisions based on detailed assessments of the site, including thorough ecology surveys.

It’s a common misconception that nature ‘is best left to its own devices’. In fact, harvesting trees is not only an important part of sustainable forest management, but well managed forests support more wildlife.

In Wootton Common, we have several interesting species, including raven, and badger, and plenty of favourable bird breeding habitat. As well as placing ‘exclusion zones’ around known nests and setts to minimise disturbance, we adapt our work in response to wildlife activity on site. For example, our current work was due to start at Ranscombe Combe but, due to finding active nests of protected birds and a badger sett, work was started far away in Knowle instead.

We work hard to balance the need for woodland management and sustainable timber with the year-round activity of wildlife. Our website explains these challenges in more detail https://www.forestryengland.uk/article/felling-and-nesting-birds

Bringing the woodlands across Wootton Common back into regular management will have long-lasting benefits for the health of both the forest and its wildlife. Dunster Park & Heathlands Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) runs along the northern edge of Forestry England’s woodland, which is in part notified for its population of heath fritillary, conservation priority species. Although not required by Natural England, we are taking the opportunity to improve our areas of favourable habitat and open space to connect them with the SSSI to benefit this valuable species.

Depending on weather conditions and wildlife activity, we hope to finish the current forestry operation by early autumn. Local residents can help us to finish work as quickly as possible by following all closure and diversion signs, as significant work time can be lost when members of the public enter the work site.

Forestry work is very hazardous. A falling tree can weigh several tonnes and hit the ground at nearly 60mph. If a harvesting machine chainsaw snaps, it can fly through the forest like a bullet.

We will be back on site to plant the new trees during winter 2024 and we next plan to thin the trees in five or six years ‘time. Our full forest plan for Exmoor National Park, on which Timberscombe Parish Council was consulted, is available to read online. Visit https://www.forestryengland.uk/forest-planning/exmoor-forest-plan or simply search ‘Exmoor Forest plan’.

If you have any questions about our work here, or elsewhere on Exmoor, please get in touch via westengland@forestryengland.uk.

Updates

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June 23 Police Newsletter

Benefice Newsletter 30th June 2023

 Take on the challenge to go single-use plastic free this July
Somerset Council is backing the movement to go single-use plastic free and asking residents to be part of the solution to plastic pollution. Last year Somerset households recycled close to 6,500 tonnes of plastic, which equates to roughly 29 lorry loads a month.  Plastic recycling is great, but choosing to refuse single-use plastic is even better.

Plastic Free July is a global initiative working towards a world free of plastic waste. And by taking up the challenge to make a change each day this July could create a good habit for life. The Plastic Free July team are asking people to join the movement by taking on the Plastic Free July challenge and take the Pesky Plastics Quiz.

Signing up to the Plastic Free July challenge is the easiest way to help people:

·       discover the plastic free solutions that suit them

·       be counted alongside the millions of people who are making a difference

·       contribute to the global success of Plastic Free July

Kirsty Larkins, Somerset Council’s Service Director for Climate and Sustainability said: “We know that people in Somerset love being part of a green and diverse landscape and we can all play our part to help keep it special. Somerset Council is committed to a greener, more sustainable county. We want to encourage our residents to join the pledge to make plastic-free choices during July and beyond.”

Simple changes we can all make to go plastic free include:

·       Opt for the plastic free, or no packaging alternatives. Loose fruit and vegetables are available in many supermarkets or pick items wrapped in paper rather than plastic.

·       Use a reusable water bottle. Somerset has five, free-to-use tap water stations – find your local one online. 

·       Switch from bottle to bar for your bathroom products. Somerset has many re-fill shops, support local businesses while picking up your plastic free alternatives.

·       When plastic cannot be avoided, much of it can be recycled in the weekly kerbside collections throughout Somerset – use the Bright Blue Bag for plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays.

Plastic bags and wrapping are not currently part of our collections, though we are taking part in national trials that should pave the way for kerbside collections of these materials in years to come.