Waste problems remain despite what’s claimed

Some weeks ago I recall reading a letter in the Advertiser from Cllr Coppinger, in which he stated that the waste collection problems caused by the Conservatives' illadvised switch to Serco had all been resolved.

Good news... if it were true.

As things stand, a year or more after the switch happened, our road still has numerous, ongoing problems with its waste collection:

W Black bins are only being collected every fortnight, even though ours are communal and, as such, should be collected every week. RBWM has confirmed in previous communications that our road is recorded on its system as having communal bins, and the relevant page on the RBWM website states: "I have a communal bin, will this continue to be emptied weekly? Yes, communal bins will be emptied weekly." The council has been contacted about this, but nothing has changed.

W We have been waiting for a suitable replacement for a damaged black communal wheelie bin since mid August. In early

October, RBWM stated this would be provided within 10 days, only to subsequently state, unfathomably, that it would not be provided at all. We currently have two black wheelie bins, emptied fortnightly, to serve approximately 10-15 houses, which is woefully insufficient.

W Serco somehow continues, avoidably, to damage bins at regular intervals, something its predecessor Veolia never managed. We currently have a damaged blue communal wheelie bin, and two residents have damaged green bins.

W With one or two exceptions, affected residents have been unable to obtain replacement bins from RBWM – they are promised within 10 working days, but generally never delivered.

W Collections of small food waste bins are regularly not being done.

Several residents have made attempts to resolve these issues with RBWM, including through its complaints procedure, all to no avail.

In one case (and at this rate, probably others) the council is now being referred to the Local Government Ombudsman for its apparent refusal to provide an adequate waste collection service.

If this is what RBWM thinks success looks like, I'd hate to see failure.

WH, on behalf of Lynton Green residents