A COUNCILLOR has formally issued a rarely-used call for action after fielding innumerable complaints from fed-up residents over missed bin collections.
Coun Jake Lodge said the prolonged disruption, which first reared its head in January when heavy snow struck before it turned to ice.
It wreaked havoc for collection crews, with many streets failing to have their bins taken.
Now that the formal request has been submitted, it is up to the chair of the overview and scrutiny panel to consider it and decide whether the council’s waste management team should have to produce a full report.
Coun Lodge, who represents the Worsbrough ward, now believes that it can ‘no longer be an excuse’.
“Two months on from the snow, we still have bins out on kerbsides and there appears to be no end in sight,” he told the Chronicle.
“I’ve compared it to Groundhog Day but even then there’s only a six-week wait.
“This appears to be going on for much longer, at a time when residents are expected to pay more for the services that the council delivers.
“This call for action isn’t just about the disruption we face now but ensuring that we have robust plans in place to face the challenges we saw in January, it’s about being open and transparent with residents about when their bins will be emptied.
“I want to see a published schedule showing when missed bins will be emptied and when we’ll be back on track.
“I hope the call for action is accepted and the answers are there for residents.”
Matt O’Neill, executive director for growth and sustainability, confirmed that the council’s catch-up has taken longer than anticipated.
Green bins - which are for garden waste - have also had their collection dates postponed by a month from March to April in order to further allow crews to keep on top of the matter.
“We have taken the decision to delay the start of green bin collections so that staff who would be working on them can instead help us get all other bin collections back on track, while also maintaining safety and quality standards,” he added.
“Catching up on delayed bin collections has taken longer than we’d hoped and we’re sorry that some people are still experiencing delays.
“We’re now back on schedule for brown and grey collections but remain behind on blue bins.
“We know it’s frustrating for residents when their bin collections are disrupted, and we’re sorry for the inconvenience this has caused.
“We ask residents to continue to put their grey, blue and brown bins out on their normal scheduled day, and to leave any delayed bins out.
“We will get to them as soon as we can.”
