Wigan Council flooded with nearly 30,000 missed bin complaints

Nearly 30,000 complaints about missed bin collections have been received by Wigan Council in the last two years.
Missed bin collections are a problem in WiganMissed bin collections are a problem in Wigan
Missed bin collections are a problem in Wigan

New figures show that rising numbers of households submitted angry feedback to town hall chiefs, with some 12,202 reports made in 2019/20.

That is a rise from 2018/19 of 9,662, while the latest figures for 2020 showed another 7,573 complaints.

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In total, there were 29,437 reports of missed bin collections to the council, during the period.

Figures were provided by the council in response to a freedom of information request submitted by the Wigan Post.

Councillors have given a mixed reaction to the figures with some saying that bin collections have been a problem and others saying the service on the whole is good.

Orrell Conservative councillor and former Wigan Mayor Michael Winstanley said: “It is a major concern of residents and it is something that the council needs to address.

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“I would also point out that they do let Councillors know when their has been a missed collection. However the council are not pro-active in letting residents know when this has happened and when they will collect again.

“As Digital Council of the Year, I would expect posts on social media and on the website so that residents are aware what the problem is.

“This is one of the few services that everyone uses and the council need to make sure they are getting it right.”

However, Atherton Independent councillor Jamie Hodgkinson said the waste management and street scenes teams are “very well organised” and quick to respond to bin issues.

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He said the only issue was different staff covering rounds due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Coun Hodgkinson said: “Usually if any bins are missed it’s also due to the amount of waste created but this is usually rectified the next day and residents are told through the website and by social media,

“As a councillor I find that the waste management/street scenes teams are very well organised and are quick respond to issues we face within our ward.

“As councillors and residents we also see the strain of the fortnightly collections, but we need to support residents with educating them how to recycle more efficiently or work on how to make it easier to separate waist as sometimes it’s confusing with the different packaging we have.”

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Fellow Independent Atherton councillor James Paul Watson, added; “We have excellent lines of communication with our residents within the ward of Atherton and resolve the majority of missed bins generally within 24 hours. I suppose that’s one of the benefits of all three elected members living within the ward.”

The council said reasons for missed collections are not recorded but they may be due to access issues such as parked cars and communal gates being locked at the time of the collection.

Residents not putting their bin out by the required time and the crews going at an earlier time was also cited as a reason.

A town hall spokesman said: “Repeated missed collections at the same location/address are investigated and appropriate action taken.

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“In the past this has included altering the collection point for residents, implementing parking restrictions on collection day, obtaining keys for any communal gates and we have a set time for presenting bins, ie 6.30am.”

They added that the council provides residents with four bins.

Collected every three weeks are paper and cardboard, glass plastics and cans and non recyclables.

The fourth waste stream is food and garden waste which is collected fortnightly.

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