Dublin City Council - Bin Collection Privatised/Greyhound Megathread

lensman

Don't forget to tune in today at 3:30 to watch the DCC meeting regarding the bin chaos, it's the Environment and Engineering SPC - 19th January 2012 & you can watch the meeting live here http://www.dublincity.public-i.tv/core/

John Mason

have just been on to Oxigen, spoke to a lovely girl called sonya and yes, they are now collecting from finglas.

they have a few different options and she is going to send it out to me.

Regardless of whether they are more expensive then greyhound or not, i will be going with them.

greyhound can shove their demends up their hole

Dirk Gently

I put 120 into the greyhound account yesterday. 100 charge + 20 to cover a few lifts. I was 20 euro in credit yesterday evening. Today I'm 70 euro in credit. Looks like they applied the half payment to my account.

At least this means my bin lifts should be well covered for 6 months and I can then switch providers in July. Still raging I paid it now that another company has said they will enter north Dub. Congrats to everyone who held off paying it a day more than I did. I hope you all manage to find alternatives to greyhound.

Ernest

I just heard an interview with the Deputy City Manager (I think they said) on News At One on RTE 1 this lunchtime. The interviewer, Sean O'Rourke let him get away with saying that the slight "concession" that Greyhound is making, for a few weeks, represented an improvement for customers. In fact it represents a serious dis-improvement from what was there already ( i.e. DCC invoiced four times yearly in arrears).

lensman

He also admitted it did NOT go through the public tender process, DCC had an accountancy firm do a ringaround to ask company's if they were interested. what a fcuking way to do business, nothing has changed, why do things properly when you can break the rules with no fear of any sanction.

Dirk Gently

lensman wrote: »

He also admitted it did NOT go through the public tender process,.

You sure he said that?, because the letter they sent out states that greyhound won a competitive tender process.

Dancor

irishbird wrote: »

have just been on to Oxigen, spoke to a lovely girl called sonya and yes, they are now collecting from finglas.

I cant get through to Oxigen atm. Are they just covering Finglas or will they be doing the entire former DCC area? Im in Dublin 7.

Dirk Gently

That webcast is up and running now....

http://www.dublincity.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/71516

lensman

Dirk Gently wrote: »

You sure he said that?, because the letter they sent out states that greyhound won a competitive tender process.

You can listen on rte player here, he fudged his answer & sean o'rourke was not convinced by his reply, o'rourke pushed him on it & asked was that his interpretation of a public tender, DCC guy then went into waffle speak.

Emma1980

Got a reply from Oxigen - they are hoping to be in the Ballyfermot area in the next two weeks. To be honest, the prices don't work out much cheaper, maybe a tenner over the course of the year (providing greyhound maintain the same prices which is unlikely!) but i guess its more the principle of it all that will have me moving!

_blank_

The difference between the two companies is mad.

Also, I don't believe the DCC guy when he said about the ringaround if Oxigen are entering the market this week.


Greyhound have really shot themselves in the foot here.

lensman

deputy city manager seamus lyons just said greyhound will be increasing their bin charges later this year & bag black users will have to pay €100 standing charge.

Dirk Gently

The deputy manager just said that greyhound will be collecting dub citys arrears but that your greyhound account and dub city arrears account will be separate and once your greyhound account is in credit the dub city arrears wont affect bin lifts.

Meauldsegosha

Listening to the council meeting - Printing error caused the delay in the letters being sent out :rolleyes:

lensman

green bins uncollected all week in D7 blackhorse ave now people putting out brown bins as well, no own has got letters as yet, confirmed by post man

Dirk Gently

It looks like the last 1/4 bill and arrears from dub city will be collected by greyhound but that it wont affect your bin lifts if you dont pay it. From listening to the meeting I think the city manager has already priced in the bad debt and written it off, even if he hasn't said it out loud.

I'll be considering that a discount on my bin charges so, or a penalty charge against dub city manager for his handling of the change over. In short I wont be paying it. If the city manager isn't accountable to the elected officials he can take responsibility through my non payment.

It's clear there is an accountability problem in DCC with the councillors being out of the loop on manager decisions. The councillors seem to be largely powerless not only in decision making but even in getting information on the decisions which were taken over their heads. There was a lot of animosity from some councillors towards the manager, justifiable IMO.

One other interesting point raised was that a complaint was made to the competition authority over the manor in which it was transferred to greyhound and provision not being made for alternative providers. It will be interesting to see the outcome of that.

Sir Oxman

lensman wrote: »

deputy city manager seamus lyons just said greyhound will be increasing their bin charges later this year & bag black users will have to pay €100 standing charge.

That's it - I'm off!

vicadd

I mailed Oxigen today and they will be starting service in Raheny in next week or two. I'll let greyhound collect my bin tomorrow and then join Oxigen as soon as they confirm service in my area.

Dyr

TishyO wrote: »

Listening to the council meeting - Printing error caused the delay in the letters being sent out :rolleyes:

DCC have a big f**k off printing service in wood quay. And they would have the option to offload it to their print service providers other facilities I bet, although not at short notice probably

Dyr

lensman wrote: »

He also admitted it did NOT go through the public tender process, DCC had an accountancy firm do a ringaround to ask company's if they were interested. what a fcuking way to do business, nothing has changed, why do things properly when you can break the rules with no fear of any sanction.

How the hell is that even legal for a contract of that size not to be tendered?

Brenno

Does anyone know if we own our Dub City Council bins or will they be taken back if we move? The charges on the advanced waste website look good but you need to have your own bin...

Dublinbin

According to the DCC manager, your bin has been sold to Greyhound! Have a look at this video of DCC meeting today, you will have the answers to a lot of questions http://www.dublincity.public-i.tv/core/ the video was live and hopefully will be available tomorrow. it is under "Environment and engineering".
During the meeting the assistant manager refused to disclose how much Greyhound payed DCC for the business! Outrageous! This is now public money and it was public service. And we the public who pay this man, are not supposed to know. Corruption? at least incompetence! After 150 years of service, they suddenly discovered that public waste was wasting public money??? Did they really try to fix it???

Brenno

Well... Greyhound are gonna have to pry my bins outta my dead cold hands in that case!!

bugler

On top of everything else the greyhound website is a piece of poorly designed crap. I've signed in to find my account at -50.00, with no idea as to what this is. Arrears from DCC? When I enter an amount to clear this 50, plus an automatic top-up figure of €12, the total magically comes to €72. And if I enter an amount of 100, and top up of 12, it somehow comes to €72 again. Very, very poor.

Sleepy

Just applied to transfer to Oxigen.

Again, it's a principle thing.

Also wondering as to the legality of DCC handing my personal info to a private company. Seems a breach of Data Protection law to me...

lensman

citybin look good with €199 per year all in fixed price, if they will have me !!!

Sir Oxman

That webcast has been removed now.

dolallyoh

gambiaman wrote: »

That webcast has been removed now.

Sopa, stop ordinary public opposition?

Stripey Cat

Sleepy wrote: »

Also wondering as to the legality of DCC handing my personal info to a private company. Seems a breach of Data Protection law to me...

That's a good point.

Did the small print allow for this handing over of people's details to a third party? What details are there apart from your name and address ?

These are not in the public domain if you've opted out of the electoral register which is used for marketing, which many people have.

Sleepy

Your financial history with the council? i.e. any outstanding balances.