Wheelie bins are being bugged in Crewe

August 2nd, 2006 Written by barry

It came to my attention recently that our local council, Crewe & Nantwhich Borough Council, has been placing bugs on our wheelie bins. Ok, sounds quite scary doesnt it? However, dont panic yet… at least for a while. These bugs were placed into our rubbish bins without our consent or knowledge and is a direct breach of our privacy. Afterall, as tax payers, those wheelie bins belong to US not THEM.

The thing that local councils seem to forget is they work for us, not the other way around, and therefore they should make an effort to keep us, the customer, happy. The council kindly told the public that should they remove the bugs, then they would be in trouble for causing criminal damage to OUR bins. Right… doesnt add up does it?

To be fair, the bugs are next to harmless. They dont recall conversations so they are hadly next on 007’s shopping list, nor will they take covert photographs. The rumours have it that the bugs actually converse with a receiver built into the dustbin wagon (at taxpayers expense) and will feed back information and statistics on our waste habits. The point of all this? Well, its claimed that in future years, we will be billed for our waste based upon the weight of our rubbish. So, single occupancy households may benefit. Typical households may not.

If im honest, I dont mind the bugs. What grates me is the fact that we were not told. They were simply slipped in under our nose and that just feels wrong. Anybody that invades my privacy, in no matter what way, is bound to annoy me and thats my point. However, I may find myself even more annoyed when they use these bugs to bill me for yet ANOTHER service I will pay twice for.

Apparently its not just our council doing this without permission. Peterborough Council are doing the same, and it looks set to spread, as Denbighshire Council are also installing them.

Do you have a bug in your bin? Let me know if you do!

Entry Filed under: Rants & Views, Local News & Views