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Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
New warning system to be introduced for bin collections in Belfast
Under the new guidelines, set to be phased in from August 4, bins that can't be fully closed or containing plastic liners which can catch in the lorry will receive an amber tag as their first warning. The tag will contain information on how to correctly leave bins out for collection and how to make extra room for waste. From September 29, households that continue to not follow the guidelines will receive a red tag meaning their bins will not be emptied. Councillor Ruth Brooks, chair of the council's people and communities committee, explained that the move is aimed at helping residents recycle and keep on top of their waste while also maintaining the safety of staff. 'This is about helping Belfast residents recycle more and get on top of their household waste, while keeping our staff safe at work,' said councillor Brooks. 'Many other councils already follow these guidelines and, while our crews have always done their best to support households on collection day, we need to take a consistent approach to how bins are presented and emptied city-wide. 'This will reduce the risk of accidents at work and also reflect upcoming changes to how our lorries operate in terms of emptying bins which are overflowing or have liners attached. 'By following these guidelines, households can support a cleaner environment and help our crews deliver what is a very vital but underrated service - one which we all reply on, in every corner of our city. 'Please take some time to look at how best to sort your waste and present your bins properly on collection day - look for posters in your local community or through your door, chat to our resource advisors who will be at upcoming events like Freshers' Week and the Autumn Fair, share our social media posts with your neighbours and head to our website if you're not sure about anything or want to check a particular item.' BCC has reminded residents of the updated collection guidelines, which include a ban on bin liners in any bins and a warning that extra bags left beside bins will not be collected. Residents have also been advised to ensure bin lids are fully closed, and are being asked to make full use of recycling bins or boxes to help create more space in bins. Bins should be clearly marked with your house number, with only one black bin permitted per household, unless previously approved for extra capacity. BBC has also urged people to sort recycling correctly by placing items in the appropriate bin or box and to ensure bins are out by 7am and brought back in by 8pm on collection day.
Belfast Telegraph
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Row as council U-turns and agrees to Irish signs on Belfast street despite just 17% of residents in support
Last month the DUP and Alliance Party blocked an application for Irish language street signage to be introduced at Shandon Park, off the Knock Road, during a knife edge vote. However, at the July meeting of the full council this week, that decision was reversed when a combination of unionist and Alliance votes was not enough to stop support for the signs from the rest of the chamber. On a vote to erect the signs at Shandon Park, as proposed by Sinn Féin, 30 elected representatives were in favour - from Sinn Féin, the SDLP, the Greens and People Before Profit - to 25 votes against, from the unionist parties and Alliance. Residents in the exclusive postcode voiced outrage after flags including the Union Flag and Ulster Banner were placed on lamposts in the area, days after the committee decision in which councillors blocked Irish street signs from being placed in the street. One 80 year old resident said they had not seen a flag there in 60 years. It was later reported these flags had been torn down. In a council survey for Shandon Park, 41 occupiers (16.8%) were in favour of the erection of a second street name plate in Irish, while 121 occupiers (49.59%) were not in favour, and seven occupiers (2.86%) had no preference either way. The remaining households did not respond. Those in favour passed the 15% threshold required for erection. A report for the council's People and Communities Committee stated: 'A number of comments were provided by those who responded to the survey mainly concerned about the costs and that the money would be better spent on other public services.' In 2022 councillors agreed a new policy on dual language street signs. Sinn Féin, Alliance, the SDLP, the Green Party, and the People Before Profit Party all support the new street sign policy, while the three unionist parties, the DUP, UUP and PUP, are against it. The new policy means at least one resident of any Belfast street, or a councillor, is all that is required to trigger a consultation on a second nameplate, with 15% in favour being sufficient to erect the sign. Non-responses will no longer be counted as 'against' votes, and there will be an equality assessment for each application. Before that the policy required 33.3% of the eligible electorate in any Belfast street to sign a petition to begin the process, and 66.6% to agree to the new dual language sign on the street. Last month at the council's People and Communities Committee, a DUP amendment proposed the Shandon Park signs be excluded from a group of streets to receive Irish signage. This received 10 votes in favour, from the DUP and Alliance, and 10 votes against, from Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the Greens. Committee Chair, DUP councillor Ruth Brooks, got the casting vote, and voted in favour of the proposal to exclude Shandon Park. All committee decisions at the council, apart from the Planning Committee which has 'delegated authority,' return to the next scheduled full council meeting for ratification. In this case the decision was reversed. At the full council meeting this week, DUP councillor Andrew McCormick said: 'We keep coming back to this topic, each and every single month, because the policy is bad. A bad policy supported by the Green Party, who clearly cannot read the room in Ormiston. 'Every month we hear the same argument about minority rights, another ironic argument whenever Sinn Féin use their majority to impose Irish language in communities where it is not wanted or it is not needed. In fact they are trying to impose this in a district electoral area where they got 174 votes out of over 14,000 that were counted. 'They speak eloquently about supposed equality, when they are happy to use their majority in refusing equality for others, namely, with (Army) veterans. Equality for me, but not for thee. The consequences of this, not for the first time, is community division where none has previously existed.' News Catch up: July 1st 2025 Alliance councillor Jenna Maghie said: 'Our position, and what we have done for minority rights, is a record that cannot be criticised. This policy clearly has discretion baked in, and I can't think of a clearer case thus far, where that discretion should be made. 'Seventy-five per cent of the people who live on this street didn't vote for the proposal. I can't understand why people who are disagreeing with us, agreed to a policy with that discretion. And I would love to know a case where that discretion might be exercised, if this isn't one of those.' She added: 'Shannon Park is beautiful, and an incredibly settled community, with loads of people who have lived there for a really long time. I have had discussions with people who voted either way, and who didn't vote at all, and the one thing they are absolutely united on is their reaction to what happened after the committee (meeting), when for the first time in living memory of an 80-year-old there, a flag was erected on that street. 'The reaction here tonight should not be to demarcate territory that hasn't been asked for by residents. I would like to encourage anyone who is minded to repeat that action on Shandon Park to think pretty carefully about the will of the residents on that street.' Green councillor Anthony Flynn said: 'We have a policy in place in terms of the 15% threshold. At the time we had a decision to make on that threshold, and it could have been lower, or it could have been higher. And there were certain parties who set that threshold, who perhaps are moving back on that today."
BBC News
03-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Belfast: Councillors call for clamp down on dog fouling
There are calls for a clampdown on dog-fouling in Belfast after more than 1,000 complaints last year but relatively few 10 fixed penalty notices have been issued since April 2023, according to the latest figures released by Belfast City councillor Ruth Brooks said "the system is broken" while SDLP councillor Gary McKeown called for a "fundamental review" of the city's strategy to tackle compared avoiding dog mess in parts of Belfast to facing an obstacle course in the TV programme The Krypton Factor. 'Absolutely disgusting' McKeown told the monthly meeting of Belfast City Council: "It's a health hazard, it's an environmental hazard and at a very basic level, it's absolutely disgusting. I am sick listening about it."I see children treading it in on their way to school or out for a walk with their parents - it's not good enough."I'm embarrassed having to go back to people saying 'I'm sorry to hear about that, that's disgusting'." Figures obtained by Brooks, after a freedom of information request to Belfast City Council, showed that there were 1,172 complaints about dog-fouling last year but, at most, 10 fines handed called for more "pro-active enforcement" of existing measures to tackle said some community events in east Belfast had been cancelled because parkland areas had so much dog council has 12 full-time dog warden posts, and park wardens are also authorised to tackle fine is currently £80, reduced to £50 if paid within 10 days.A number of councillors, including the Alliance Party's Jenna Maghie, have said that higher fines should be is understood that a maximum of £200 could be have been discussed before but not agreed. 'Catch themselves on' Sinn Féin councillor Claire Canavan pointed out that the problem is being caused by a "small minority who aren't picking up after their dogs"."People need to catch themselves on," she praised the council cleansing staff who pick up the mess that dog owners leave four largest parties on the council all raised the dog fouling issue at Tuesday evening's meeting of the full 60-member People and Communities Committee at City Hall plans to discuss the matter again later this month. Sharon Vennard, 41, lives in south Belfast with her husband and two young is becoming increasingly frustrated with the dog fouling on the family's daily walk to school which she says is a "huge issue" in the area."Recently my two-year-old came out of a shop in our local area and tripped and fell right into dog poo. "I was very concerned he would get it in his eye and it was very upsetting for him."I walk my older child to school and there have been occasions he has walked through dog poo – and has had to wear his PE shoes and his classroom assistant has had to hose his shoes down which is very embarrassing for a child." Ms Vennard said she had complained to the council twice and was told there would be more wardens in the area."But my problem is that if someone sees a warden they will lift their dog poo as they are afraid of getting caught," she said."It's more trying to catch people out who are repeat offenders who are taking their dog for a walk in cover of darkness and are not responsible dog owners or turning their back and pretending not to notice. "It gets to the stage when it's about the health and safety of children and it's very serious."
