Council apology as bin collections thrown into chaos by annual training

Overdue: Recycling bins awaiting council attention

Bin collections have been subjected to widespread disruption across Dearne area communities covered by Barnsley Council in recent weeks, leading to a wave of complaints from residents.

But the council say the problems are down to training for their waste recycling collecters, in acknowledgement that the work is a ‘high risk’ industry.

Missed bin collections have become more frequent in recent weeks, with delays apparently escalating more recently, with some bins residents had put out for collection last Friday still not collected when the Weekender went to press yesterday.

Some councillors have been advising residents in their areas online over the delays, but residents have become increasingly vocal in their complaints, accusing the council of failing to keep them properly updated.

Green waste collections were due to start at the beginning of March, but it has been claimed the council has now put that date back to the middle of the month, without telling residents. Many put their bins out for kerbside collections on March 1.

Cllr James Higginbottom, Barnsley Council’s Cabinet Spokesperson for Environment, said: "Waste and recycling is a high-risk industry and we conduct annual training to make sure everyone is working safely.

"This has resulted in some disruption to service, for which we apologise to residents affected.

"Waste management are working hard to clear the backlog and ensure that the service returns to normal as quickly as possible.

"If your bin has been missed, please leave it out and we’ll collect it as soon as we can. You don’t need to report this online or call our Contact Centre. You can see all the missed bins and the latest guidance on our website at www.barnsley.gov.uk/alerts"

That advice contradicts the council website, which advised residents to take uncollected blue and brown recycling bins back in, and put them out later.

One of those who took to social media to complain said: “The council won’t reply to me to confirm they’ve changed the date so I’m following their standard advice of ‘if your entire road has been missed, leave uit out for us to collect’, My schedule shows it has been missed.”

Another said for the start of green bin collections the council “had put the date back by two weeks and hadn’t bothered to tell anyone that they had made a change.”