Self-certification does not work

I fear that allowing Kier '˜self-certification' of its operational efficiency within the areas of refuse collection and street cleaning in the Old Town is at least one step too far. Especially when allied to HBC's clamour to remove all public reporting and management to its '˜My Hastings' digital platform.

When our refuse bins failed to be emptied on the due dates for a total of five weeks running (with no collection at all over the Christmas fortnight), I indeed contacted the website to report said breach. I was informed that I had to wait until 8.00pm on the day of collection before such a breach could be logged - fair enough I suppose, though I doubt I’ll see many Kier vehicles trawling for stray bins in an pitch black Old Town twitten at that time.

Next day however, despite promises, the collection once more failed to appear - but this time I couldn’t report the breach . ‘My Hastings’ ruled that I had missed the slot. If my collection was on a Monday it seems there is no way that it couldn’t not have been dealt with.

Now of course with the wonders of self certification there is no mystery. And no accountability either.

The bins hadn’t been emptied, they’d been reported as such and there is no way of reporting an ongoing breach.

So according to the website Kier met their targets - and will no doubt celebrate their self-certified efficiency.

For myself, I dragged the bin back down the steps, crammed down the black bag even further and waited another seven days when the same dreary sequence was repeated. Presumably the same scenario currently applies to street cleaning, bottle collection and all the rest. In the meantime however the outcome does little for the appearance of our tourist hot spot borough.

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