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Stirling fights for bin drivers
Page 18
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Court win would save council thousands of pounds in wage bill of recycling vehicle drivers.
STIRLING COUNCIL'S refuse department is being taken to court by the police this week (from 10 February) in a dispute about whether its recycling vehicles can be driven by staff with standard car licences.
The court case is the latest event in a difficult year for Stirling's bin bosses. It comes just days after the council revealed that its new Mercedes Atego dustbin wagons have been delayed because of a chassis fault. Mercedes has given the council five alternative trucks to use.
The council has already signalled its intention to fight the court case. which has been brought against it and one of its drivers. If the council wins it will save thousands of pounds a year on the extra cost of employing HGV drivers.
The delay in the arrival of the dustbin wagons is doubly embarrassing because critics last summer described the streets as a "medieval midden" and local GPs claimed there was a risk of diseases last widespread during the 19th century "It's a big disappointment," says Councillor Charlie McKean. "By now we were hoping to have the new fleet in place and the collection service much improved. It would seem that factors outside our control have conspired against us. When the new vehicles are in place residents will notice a vast improvement."