Residents living in a rural part of Angus are demanding a reduction in their council tax in a row over their rubbish collections.
Graeme Boyle and his neighbour Pauline Anderson are furious that Angus Council has called a halt to going down a private farm road to empty their bins.
They are among four households affected just off Emmock Road on the outskirts of Dundee.
Graeme, a blue badge-holder, said: “Until now the bin lorries have come down the road to empty our bins. However, the council have told us they will only collect the rubbish from the bins if they are taken to the end of the farm road.
“This is a half kilometre road and up a steep incline. I walk with the aid of a stick because of arthritis and am not able to take the bins to the top of the road.
“The only other alternative we have is to leave the bins at the top on private farm land and I am not prepared to do that or to take the rubbish ourselves into Forfar to the recycling centre.
“I cannot physically do this. I feel they are prejudicing against me for a disability.
“I am asking the council for a reduction in my council tax as they are not carrying out this service for us.
Pauline said: “They have always collected our rubbish from here. I don’t think it is right that they are now refusing to empty our bins for us because of some new policy.”
Local councillor Beth Whiteside said constituents had been in touch, but the council’s policy had been in place for “several years.”
“The road in question has continued, until now, to have their bins collected outside the houses, however this is now being brought into line with other similar locations,” she said.
“I do have sympathy with the residents in this case, however, I would be unable to press for a reversal of the decision for one private road alone, as the issue affects many other private roads in Angus.”
The councillor said she had received assurances that any fly tipping near the bins would be dealt with by Angus Council, as would alternative arrangements for bin collection should any householders become housebound.
Angus Council said it had operated road end collections for private and unadopted roads where feasible for a number of years, with more than 650 properties serviced in this way.
A spokesman added: “This is a policy adopted by many Scottish councils and enables the efficient delivery of household collection services, ensuring a more accessible recycling service for all while reducing the risk of damage to collection vehicles and the associated costs.
“Most road end collections were introduced in 2014 with the introduction of our then new kerbside recycling service. Further locations have since been identified and as suitable for this service.”
