Leader comment: Bins plan must be fully tested

Nothing is likely to cause a collective shudder around Edinburgh like talk of the council investigating a new way of collecting the bins.

Bin collections are a constant source of complaints.

It is the one issue which repeatedly appears at the top of our letters inbox, year after year.

‘Overflowing bins, missed collections, Edinburgh’s shame, what do we pay our council tax for anyway’ etc etc. Our Binwatch campaign brought the issue sharply into focus and we make no apologies for that. It is a basic service which the city should be able to deliver. Far too often in recent years, collections in the Capital have, for one reason or another, descended into chaos. So, should we be worried by the latest council scheme which includes the rather worrying suggestion of cutting the number of communal bins by a quarter?

The new trial would see communal waste and recycling bins emptied every other day rather than twice a week which it is hoped has the potential to reduce the number required. Environment convener Lesley Macinnes says the move is aimed at “enhancing” the Capital’s current system. We will wait to be convinced. Like many of these ideas, it sounds fine in principle but the proof will be in the state of the streets.