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SW15 article containing news from 'Thamesfield Conservatives'

This post comes across as providing an outlet for Putney and Wandsworth Conservatives campaigning material ahead of the upcomong Council elections.  In the interests of impartiality, please can SW15.COM either give the same column space to candidtates of other political parties standing for election in Thamesfielf, or at least replace the references to 'Thamesfield Conservatives' to 'Thamesfield Councillors'?  Surely incumbent Councillors, if they are being given an opportunity on this website to promote news and updates in the areas they represent, are provided this opportunity in their capacity as Councillors rather than Conservative Party representatives?  That's not how this necessarily comes across in this article.http://www.putneysw15.com/default.asp?section=info&page=ethamesfield039.htm

David Beeney ● 1490d19 Comments

Four wheelie bins is an awful lot.  Size also matters.  I think most Councils have two wheelies but also have other receptacles eg a separate smaller food waste bin and maybe separate bags for papers and/or garden waste.  It depends on the amount of space that people have.  As WRAP's campaigns and reports have shown - one size does not fit all. As I understand it it is Govt policy for food waste to be collected separately and Councils who were collecting food waste together with garden waste in one wheelie bin have changed their collection.What unfortunately seems to be forgotten is that there is a waste hierarchy and Recycling is at the end of it.  The hierarchy starts with Reduce.  The less waste we make the less we have to dispose of.

Philippa Bond ● 1478d

https://londonrecycles.co.uk/food-recycling/

Philippa Bond ● 1481d

This 20mph is causing a great problem to vehicles, if you don't drive over 30 mph for over a good half an hour your exhaust gets clogged and a sign comes up in your vehicle.  So because of this we had to drive along the A3 to give it a run to clear. You used to drive faster than 20 mph while having driving lessons years ago. So this 20 mph is absolutely pathetic. Except down small side roads.

Barbara Stevens ● 1481d

The answer is very simple:  Don't waste! Don't like so much packaging? - don't buy it; if you do buy it then send it back to manufacturer or retailer and ask for better solutions.  The French have just banned some plastic packaging:https://www.thefuturescentre.org/signal/france-bans-plastic-packaging-for-most-fruits-and-vegetables/We buy too much and we waste too much in the UK.

Philippa Bond ● 1481d

4 separate bins in Rochdale. Is this going to work?http://www.rochdale.gov.uk/recycling-and-bins/Pages/what-goes-in-my-bins.aspxI guess what I really mean is:- Am I/are we going to bother?

David Ainsworth ● 1483d

BTW Separate food waste collections are a Government policy and it is collected weekly.  https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/food-waste-in-the-uk/

Philippa Bond ● 1483d

You only have maggoty food waste if you let flies land on your food and don't clean your bin.  We should be trying to reduce and eliminate our food waste and look after the world's finite resources but until we do that what we do make can go to anaerobic digestion to make compost and electricity.  That is of course if we are unable and/or can't bother to compost it oourselves.

Philippa Bond ● 1483d

Whatever else our conservative run council does it collects our rubbish every week and allows generous amounts with courteous binmen.  I shudder to hear what my friends under Richmond council have to suffer, it's a horror story of maggoty food waste and dictatorial recycling, get it right or else.I once intended to move to Richmond, but not after that.  Be glad of our councils care with our money.

Jenny Featherstone ● 1484d

I highlighted the 20mph limit on LRR because the Barnes end seems to have enforcement but not the so-called best in world Putney end.On the subject of party political articles Labour does need to get its policies out. May elections are not that far off. I have already received a flyer from the Conservatives.

Ed Robinson ● 1484d

I think you miss the point though. There is no barrier to Labour, Lib Dems, Greens or whoever submitting articles to the website: it's simply that they don't bother.  I never had any problem getting Labour Party articles published on the site back in the day: but only very rarely did the site approach me for them. In other words, the achievement of political balance requires other political parties to go to the effort. They cannot be compelled to and those that do bother shouldn't be prevented from contributing because the rest can't be arsed.

Adam Gray ● 1484d

Nick - you may or may not be right about how well the Conservatives run Wandsworth Council. I'm no longer in a position to comment as I haven't lived in Putney since 2003 - I stay in touch by visiting and through the excellent pages of this website, SW15.Com. I'm sure there will be a variety of views across the borough about how well the Conservatives run Wandsworth Council.  But that is besides the point.  PutneySW15.Com, as far as I'm aware, is not politically affiliated and so in the interests of impartiality and balance, should not be giving what is effectively campaigning space to the Conservatives on these pages.  If it does, then surely it should provide the same to all the other main parties fielding candidates?

David Beeney ● 1484d

Jane - You are absolutely right, that is the point I'm making.  Nick's comment that Conservative run Wandsworth Council is a well-run council may or may not be true.  Personally I don't have my finger on the pulse any longer, as I have not lived in Putney since 2003.  I visit Putney regularly and follow PutneySW15.com as a way of staying in touch with local news, and am grateful to those who run this website.  Nick may or may not be right - there will be a variety of views across the borough about how well the Conservatives run Wandsworth Council.  But Nick's reply is besides the point.  PutneySW15.Com, as far as I'm aware, is not politically affiliated and in the interests of impartiality and balance, should not be giving what is effectively campaigning space to the Conservatives on these pages.  If it does, it should provide the same to all the other main parties fielding candidates.

David Beeney ● 1484d

David’s point was surely that the local newssheet should not be party politicised or used as free campaigning material by the Conservative party. Complaining - yet again - about the 20mph speed limit which is in place in most London boroughs is a separate issue and irrelevant to the OP.

Jane Carter ● 1490d

Cameras are increasingly being used to reduce speed limits in the UK.  The good thing with all the signage on and over the roads is that motorists can get used to remembering the change and get used to it.  It won't then be such a surprise when new cameras are installed or older ones recalibrated.  That is of course if motorists know that the '20' inside a circular red edged sign means a MAXIMUM speed limit and that iis always drpendent on good enough road conditions.  I read recently that few road users actually know their road signs.  There is an updated Highway Code too so worth revisiting as it is used to determine liability.

Philippa Bond ● 1490d

I have to agree.There have been what I assume are 20mph speed checks just before Tibbets Corner roundabout heading south.A bit odd for a dual carriageway with an underpass. There is no footpath on that side of the road and it has a bus lane.Perhaps a question for the councillors?

Ed Robinson ● 1490d

I think the 20mph restriction on the LRR from the Oasis School towards Barnes is ridiculous as is the same speed restriction on Putney Hill from the Green Man to Tibbets Corner.  But, above all, these "macho" restrictions with no enforcement are as useless as a chocolate ashtray on a motorbike.It seems to me that common sense has gone out of the window. There are residential roads from A roads that have a 20mph speed limit but WBC can do nothing to enforce it....

Ivonne Holliday ● 1490d

Clearly the May elections are in sight.The LRR crossing is mentioned however the 20mph enforcement seems lapse on the Wandsworth part of LRR compared to the Barnes end. Is it because signage is not sufficient?"Currently, we are planning to install only the signage and road markings, and monitor voluntary compliance with the new 20mph limit before considering other enforcement methods.."https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/road-safety/borough-wide-20mph-speed-limit/

Ed Robinson ● 1490d

It's cheap, but standards of service have been falling for years, as their ceaseless obsession with cost-cutting takes priority over providing adequate services

Sean Hodges ● 1490d

When you have the best council in the Uk on your door step. I think it deserves any publicity. My poor parents have to put up with the Liberal councillors having moved from Putney to Barnes. They said it’s like going from the Premier league to the Division 4. Terrible really. It’s still the envy of so many living in the second lowest council tax Borough. With the best service .

Nick Gulliford ● 1490d