St Sampson’s to buy vehicle to empty dog bins in the parish

The parish is planning to install several new bins at different trouble spots, which will be funded using dog tax. However, it would also be responsible for emptying the bins.

Currently parish staff use their own vehicles for small jobs, but these would not be suited to carting around dog mess.

At its meeting this week, the parish agreed to put £15,000 to the vehicle.

Dean of the douzaine, Tom Oliver, said he was pleased the project was moving forward.

‘We felt it was long overdue,’ he said. ‘There are a lot of things we need to collect and deliver.’

It is planned that the vehicle will also be use to help the parish floral group and other parish jobs.

It is estimated that after the initial payment, there will need to be about £1,000 a year to cover the vehicle’s running costs.

The meeting was also updated on the proposal for new parish dog mess bins.

Owners all pay £10 a year in dog tax, but how parishes use that money varies widely. Some parishes do fund their own dog mess bins, and constable Paul Le Pelley said he felt this was the best way to use the money.

‘It’s their money,’ he said.‘So let’s give it back to them,’

Currently it is suggested that the bins be placed at trouble spots like the former bowling alley, Bulwer Avenue and the Red Lion, however the parish is open to suggestions. There is already a bin at Delancey Park.

It is proposed that the new bins will include bag dispensers.

Around 30 people attended the meeting, which was held at St Sampson’s High School.

They voted through the £221,472 needed for the owners’ rate. That included the expense of cleaning and maintaining the toilets at Delancey Park and Le Crocq.

. Anyone with ideas about where the dog bins could go is asked to contact the constables office by emailing Constables@StSampson.gg.