ONE hundred and fifty-five residents of Phyllis Street and Clive Road, Barry Island, out of 170, has signed the petition against the new refuse system.

The organisers of the petition – Messrs Roy Croydon, Frank Lester and Roy Walker – presented it to their ward councillor, Coun. John Cotter, at the Town Hall on Monday evening.

In it they say that in all cases it will be necessary to carry the liners through houses to be placed in the street and this they feel is an undesirable practice.

In the case of old age pensioners and the infirm, it would be necessary to carry the liners through houses to be placed in the street and this they feel is an undesirable practice.

In the case of old age pensioners and the infirm, it would be necessary for collectors to walk through their homes to collect the liners, and this intrusion of private property was totally unwarranted, the petition continues.

Many residents did not possess the correct size bins to hold the liners, and they were expected to go to the expense of purchasing a new bin.

If additional liners were required why were ratepayers expected to say bus fares to the Greenwood Street depot to obtain another one?

They should be available from collectors, say the petitioners.

The placing of these liners outside houses was bound to lead to trouble. It was possible for children to untie the string and thus allow refuse to be spilled. It was also likely that dogs would tear them besides fouling them.

This could lead to vermin being attracted to property.

As a rate was levied for the collection of refuse by the collector, why were the ratepayers being told to carry out most of the work? they ask.

From the economic point of view the present system was efficient where terraced property was concerned, as collections via back lanes allowed for double collections to be made.

Lanes at the rear of Phyllis Street and Clive Road permitted such a collection.

Mr Croydon told a “News” reporter that everybody had signed the petition, and the 15 who hadn’t were either not in or on holiday meetings throughout the town in an endeavour to secure a return to the back-lane collection of refuse.

“The council has already fallen down on the distribution of the plastic sacks as many householders have not yet received them.

The system of putting them through letter boxes is proving unsatisfactory; they are a danger to children and dogs are ripping them.”

Mr Durman also complained that the plastic sacks containing refuse were unsightly in the streets and that in Gladstone Road they were there for 10 hours before they were collected.

Some people had left them in gutters, thus blocking the drainage of streets.