A CHRISTMAS tree remains uncollected on an Edinburgh street – despite being outside a council office and 600 metres from a council refuse centre.
Residents of the city complained bitterly throughout January and February about having to step over and around browning pine trees left in the streets.
But at least one tree is grimly hanging on, almost two months to the day since it should have been carted off.
The Christmas tree was spotted today (fri) outside the council’s Bonnington Centre office in Leith – which is just 580 metres down the road from a council refuse centre.
A senior official from the centre, enjoying a cigarette break outside, insisted the tree had been dumped and was not theirs.
But she could not explain why her colleagues in the refuse collection department had so far failed to uplift the tree.
Commenting on the abundance of pine trees on Edinburgh streets last month, Conservative councillor Nick Cook said: “The sight of decaying Christmas trees littering Edinburgh streets well into February is simply not good enough.
“Sadly, Edinburgh Council’s poor quality waste collection service continues to be the gift that keeps on giving – for all the wrong reasons.”
“It is clear that Council waste collection services continue to fall below what taxpayers should expect.”
