THE council's waste and recycling survey, which is currently in circulation, has been criticised for failing to be pensioner-friendly. 

Peebles resident Beatrice Denholm is in her 80s and argues that the survey seeking public views on the council’s waste and recycling services has been very difficult for herself and her neighbours to obtain. 

It is available online, at recycling centres, from libraries and from the council offices but Ms Denholm thinks it would make more sense if it went through their letterboxes.

Ms Denholm said: “Most elderly people and pensioners don’t have computers so we aren’t able to access the survey online. However, when I went to both the council offices and the library, where I was told forms can be picked up, they only had four each. 

"I took three from each to give to my friends, so if anyone was to go in after me they’d be lucky to get one.

“Also, most of the people I asked had no idea there was even a survey being carried out.

“How can the council expect to conduct a proper survey if a whole portion of the public is missed out? Why didn’t they pop them through people’s doors?

“In my opinion, it was a waste of paper and money.”

In the survey's comment section, Ms Denholm criticised the council's decision to scrap the collection of the green garden waste bins.

She said: “I have no idea why they stopped collecting them. With it coming into summer people will be gardening more. All my neighbours agree that it was silly to rid the public of this service.

“The nearest recycling centre to us in Peebles is Esheils. Pensioners without cars cannot get there easily or carry bags of their garden waste very far.” 

The last garden waste kerbside collections took place in March 2014. The council decided that scrapping the service would save around £450,000 per annum.

SBC said it was reviewing its waste and recycling service due to a number of challenges it is facing, including budget cuts to how much money they have to spend, targets for increased recycling set by the Scottish Government, and the need to reduce landfill waste the amount of waste being sent to landfill.

A spokesperson added: “Further copies of the survey will be available in Council contact centres as well as libraries to ensure anyone wishing to take part can do so. Contact centre staff will be happy to assist customers in completing the survey online if requested.

"In addition, public-access computers with printers are available in the majority in libraries and contact centres for anyone who does not have internet access at home and wishes to take part.

“The survey runs until May 15, and we would encourage as many people as possible to take part."