Mark Whitehead 28 November 2018

Council chief says on YouTube: 'I'm sorry about bin chaos'

A council leader has gone online to apologise to residents over chaos caused by a reorganisation of bin collections.

Richard Cornelius, leader of Barnet Council in north London, said in a YouTube video: 'I would like to apologise to the people who have been inconvenienced in the borough'.

He said the council had now 'turned a corner' and was working hard to fix the problems.

It follows complaints that some residents had not had a collection since the beginning of November when crews were allocated new routes.

One resident in the Tory-run borough which has hit the headlines over its radical privatisation initiatives, said online: 'Roads have been clogged in rush hour by bin lorries, pavements littered with wheelie bins left out and overflowing.'

In the video Cllr Cornelius says: 'We’re working to get it right and I believe we have turned a corner and that we will start to start to see an improvement in the service this week.

'We had to do this because it's not been done for many, many years and it's simply become unfair in the way the work was allocated between various crews.

'We make 359,000 collections of bins every week, it's a huge number, but even a small percentage can have a huge impact on people.

'We're working hard to get it right and I believe we've turned a corner now.'

Banning urban pesticide use image

Banning urban pesticide use

RSPB and PAN are working on a letter from local councillors calling on the Government to introduce a national ban on urban pesticide use. Find out more below.
SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Domestic Abuse (Perpetrator) Prevention Worker

Essex County Council
£30931 - £35362 per annum + + 26 Days Leave & Defined Benefit Pension
Domestic Abuse (Perpetrator) Prevention Worker - Multi Disciplinary TeamFixed Term, Full Time£30,931 to £35,362 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Data Analyst - 6 month FTC

Essex County Council
£25081 - £29508 per annum + + 26 Days Leave & Defined Benefit Pension
Data AnalystFixed Term, Full TimeUp to £29,508 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Transport Strategy Manager

North Northamptonshire Council
£55848 - £59442
We are looking for an experienced and talented professional to join North Northamptonshire Council Sheerness House, 41 Meadow Road, Kettering, United Kingdom
Recuriter: North Northamptonshire Council

Specialist Children and Family Worker - 12 month FTC

Essex County Council
£30931 - £35362 per annum + + 26 Days Leave & Defined Benefit Pension
Specialist Children and Family WorkerFixed Term, Full Time£30,931 to £35,362 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Director of Children’s Services

Bedford Borough Council
Up to £136,757 per annum (pay award pending)
Bedford Borough Council is looking for a dynamic and visionary Director of Children's Services Bedford, Bedfordshire
Recuriter: Bedford Borough Council
Linkedin Banner

Partner Content

Circular highways is a necessity not an aspiration – and it’s within our grasp

Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen.

Support from Effective Energy Group for Local Authorities to Deliver £430m Sustainable Warmth Funded Energy Efficiency Projects

Effective Energy Group is now offering its support to the 40 Local Authorities who have received a share of the £430m to deliver their projects on the ground by surveying properties and installing measures.

Pay.UK – the next step in Bacs’ evolution

Dougie Belmore explains how one of the main interfaces between you and Bacs is about to change.