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Stop bins war and work with Kerbside, Sita urged
A LAST-DITCH bid was being made today to try to end the bin wars and persuade Sita UK to work with Kerbside Calderdale.
It was also revealed that a social enterprise organisation in Bacup might soon be appointed to collect, restore and recycle furniture and other bulky household goods.
The move has further angered councillors who have accused Sita executives of trying to reinvent the wheel.
A meeting of the council's health and social care scrutiny panel was told by chairman Bob Metcalfe: "Kerbside had become an established, reliable, recycling collector for large parts of Calderdale.
"We would not want it to be squeezed out."
Councillor Metcalfe (Lab, Town) said Sita's failure to reach agreement with Kerbside had been a major public relations disaster.
Peter Coles (Lib-Dem, Luddenden Foot) said councillors were furious about being blamed for negotiations breaking down between Sita and Kerbside, and he urged them to keep trying to patch up their differences.
Sita's general manager Nick Browning said: "I understand the strength of feeling and I have to say that it was always our intention to work with Kerbside but it has to work financially for us."
He said the idea of involving an impartial mediator would be put to Sita directors and in the meantime he would be attending a meeting with Kerbside organised by Calder Valley Labour MP Chris McCafferty.
Sita became responsible for refuse collection and recycling throughout Calderdale at the beginning of August but Kerbside, based at Luddenden Foot, is continuing to collect cans, paper and glass from about 25,000 homes between Halifax and Todmorden.
It has appealed for financial support and has promised to keep collecting in competition with Sita, at least until January.
All Kerbside employees have been offered jobs with Sita but most have refused to transfer to the new firm.
The council's health and social care spokesman Graham Reason (Northowram and Shelf) said Kerbside appeared determined to try to preserve the status quo.
But the chief executive of Kerbside, Paul Brannigan, insisted that he went to the negotiating table with an open mind.
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Weather for Halifax
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: 0 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
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Light sleet showers
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