Friday, July 26, 2019
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Chew the fat P9
Report via Snap Send Solve Call ADC customer service 03 307-7700 Report in person at Ashburton District Council office PHOTO JAIME PITT-MACKAY 230719-JPM-0005
Council inaction needles resident By Jaime Pitt-MacKay Jaime.p@theguardian.co.nz
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Inaction from the Ashburton District Council over a dangerous needle left lying on a CBD footpath for several days has left a resident incredibly frustrated. The man, who has asked not to be named, said he first saw the needle on the street last Thursday and reported it to the council. After seeing it still in the same location on Friday, he visited the offices of the council and said a note was made. His frustrations grew further earlier this week after he walked down Tancred Street once again and saw the needle still there. “I am just thinking about the safety of the kids, a little two-year-old walks past and picks that up and puts it in its mouth or something, it isn’t going
to end well,” he said. Ashburton District Council service delivery group manager Neil McCann said issues like this are the responsibility of the council and that it was unfortunate there was a delay in this instance. “We greatly appreciate the public advising council of potentially dangerous or hazardous materials they encounter and we endeavour to action these requests as soon as possible,” he said. “Unfortunately there was a delay in this particular instance and we will do our best to respond sooner.” Residents are urged to report similar issues at first instance via the council’s Snap Send Solve App, by calling its customer service team (03 307-7700), or by reporting it in person at the council offices (5 Baring Square West).
The concerned resident eventually removed the needle himself on Tuesday, the same day the council contractor was scheduled to remove the needle. “I can confirm that the gentleman did alert one of our meter reader officers regarding this on July 18 who then created a Snap Send Solve immediately on the spot,” McCann said. “This was then converted to a service request by the following day, the same day the same gentleman came to our offices. “Our rubbish collection contractors, who are trained and equipped to dispose of sharp objects and hazardous materials, was notified on Friday afternoon to schedule and action the cleanup which was carried out on Tuesday, July 23.”
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