Residents in Caerphilly are frustrated as bin collections are delayed for weeks due to a mix of bad weather and staffing issues
Caerphilly: It’s been a bit of a mess lately with bin collections. Some folks have been waiting weeks for their rubbish to be picked up. The council says it’s a “perfect storm” of issues causing the delays.
They mentioned bad weather, changes to collection routes, and a ton of extra waste from Christmas as the main culprits. It’s been a real struggle to keep up.
Residents are being asked to leave their bins out, but with snow on the way, there’s worry that things could get even worse. Cllr Chris Morgan, who’s in charge of waste, admitted that some people are facing “unacceptable” waits.
The council is trying to adjust to new zoning changes they made last autumn, which were supposed to help with waste collection. But with staff calling in sick, it’s really thrown a wrench in the works.
They’re even working weekends to catch up, but the forecast isn’t helping. Cllr Morgan is pushing for a review to sort out the ongoing mess, especially since some residents haven’t had their bins emptied in three weeks.
Two local councillors are scratching their heads over why these changes were made right before the busy holiday season. They think it would’ve been smarter to wait until after Christmas.
One councillor, Kevin Etheridge, said they should’ve made sure there were enough staff to handle the workload. Another, Nigel Dix, is worried the situation is spiraling out of control.
Both councillors agree that the crews shouldn’t be blamed for the delays. They’re doing their best, but the organization of collections just isn’t cutting it.
Cllr Morgan called it a “perfect storm” and thanked everyone working hard to catch up. The council has apologized for the hassle and is focusing on food waste and refuse collections.
They’ve asked residents to keep their bins out and promised to collect them as soon as they can. It’s going to take a few days to get back on track, so patience is key.
