I was pointed to the policy and told it didn't cover residual waste bins. I asked for them to change the policy, and that it was unfair, but was told that although they may look at in future, I essentially couldn't get a new bin for the resident now.

Some you lose.

Then last week, during a "Leaders Q&A" session on Zoom, Council Leader David Monk said the policy had changed. First I'd heard if it. And although I kept listening to other questions, even while he was still talking, I was sending an email to an officer...

And I've now had it confirmed that in the next few days, the resident who contacted me in March will get a replacement residual waste Wheely bin to replace the one broken in collection. He's quite chuffed. And so am I: the policy now makes sense.

Some you win.

So, please don't hurt your wheely bins. Look after them, and they'll look after you (well, they'll hold your rubbish, which is very close to the same thing). But from now, if your Folkestone & Hythe District Council bin - recycling or general waste - is damaged in the course of its regular collection and emptying, please do take some photos, note when it happened, and how it got broken. And then when you report it, it should be replaced. Free of charge. As it should be. Small wins. But important.

The relevent clause in the new policy Is point 7, which now says:

"Containers of the size 240 litre, 180 litre, 55 litre or 23 litre, which were supplied by the Council and are designed to be placed at the kerbside, as part of the recycling and waste collection service and which can be shown to be either damaged or lost as a result of collection operations will be replaced by the Council at no charge to the occupier."

Well done to FHDC for listening, and changing the policy for the better. It's not an earthshaking change. But it's a just one.