A MEMBER of the public has asked Holsworthy Town Council to pass on a message to Torridge District Council asking them to bring their rubbish collections ‘into the 21st century’.

Geoff Cusick was given two minutes during the full council meeting on Wednesday, April 3, to address his concerns.

He said: “This morning I went out shortly after seven o’clock to put my rubbish out in the black plastic bags only to find that the dustman had already been. I looked later at the Torridge website and it said hey have to be out by 5.45am or after 7pm the previous night.

“Now, given that we have foxes, badgers and a lot of birds around us putting out plastic bags over night is a recipe for spreading rubbish around the streets in my view.”

He asked why Torridge District Council hadn’t thought of introducing wheelie bins to the area to combat this, adding: “What I am asking the council to do is pass this on up to Torridge, saying in Holsworthy it doesn’t work terribly well because of the potential for contamination of the streets and could they look at bringing their service into the 20th if not 21st century.”

Although unable to respond to the request during the meeting, the mayor Cllr Jon Hutchings, who is also Holsworthy Ward member on Torridge District Council, said: “Geoff, could I ask you to send me an email with those details and I will take it up with Torridge.”

Geoff agreed to send details to the mayor and copy in the town clerk, Vanessa Saunders.