On March 15 this year I set up a direct debit with Winchester City Council to pay for my garden waste collection, a stealth tax of £65 the Lib Dem council recently introduced and formerly covered by my Council Tax. 

While checking my bank statement the following month I noticed that five days later on March 20 a second direct debit had been taken for the same garden waste collection. I had been charged twice for the same service.

A phone call to WCC was called for and over the next three months I made three phone calls to WCC.

One in April, a second in May and again in June. Each call followed the same pattern, explain the problem and receive an assurance that my £65 would be refunded. All three calls failed to resolve the matter and no refund was forthcoming. To say I was frustrated is an understatement.

Phone calls were not working so I decided to change tack and ask my local Lib Dem Councillor, Kelsie Learney, to intervene on my behalf with WCC. I sent her a detailed letter setting out all the relevant facts, and waited. She did not reply to my letter and I was disappointed when no refund appeared in my August bank statement. I wrote Cllr Learney a second letter once again seeking her help to resolve this very minor problem. She again failed to answer my letter and I was by this time getting really exasperated. My September bank statement still showed no refund had been made. Letters to Cllr Learney were not working so I decided to phone her. We spoke and she seemed surprised that the matter had not been settled and said ‘she would look into it’. No apology!

I have just received my bank statement for October and once again no refund appears. Total frustration!!!

It is quite clear from the above tale of woe that the admin for garden waste collection is not fit for purpose in its present form. Nearly nine months, four phone calls, and two letters to my Lib Dem Councillor have all failed to settle this very minor admin problem. If this Lib Dem Council can’t resolve a simple refund matter, can we trust them to deal with any more complex issues? I think not!

Meanwhile, who should I write to next? Maybe Martin Tod or even Ed Davey? Perhaps the Prime Minister could get involved or I could even try the King?

Suggestions anyone, I’m at the end of my tether!

Alex Fyfe,
Harestock Road,
Winchester

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