Covid-delay to Christmas recycling collections
Christmas recycling bags have gone uncollected in Coventry because of staff shortages caused by the coronavirus.
The city council apologised, but said staff were either off because they were isolating or shielding.
The local authority said crews had been sent out on Saturday and "were successful in clearing the majority of the outstanding collections from last week".
It said the outstanding bags would be collected this week.
Review into "Shambolic" Coventry Christmas bin collections promised
The cabinet member in charge of Coventry’s Christmas bin collections has promised to review the system after criticism that this year’s service has been “shambolic”.
Residents have complained of bags “left lying all over the streets” due to missed recycling collections over the Christmas period.
The council has blamed it on staff shortages, with some workers shielding from Covid-19 or self-isolating in line with government guidance.
It has led to problems with the Christmas service for the third year running with the cabinet member in charge admitting change may be needed.
One of the main stumbling blocks for the council is the fact contracted workers are not obliged to work over Christmas, meaning it relies on agency staff and volunteers.
Opposition councillor Julia Lepoidevin also questioned if the council could mirror Warwick District Council’s service, which “appears to be efficient and effective”.
Warwick provided collections the week after Christmas, while Coventry did not.
Cabinet member for city services Cllr Pat Hetherton said: “There is a discussion to be had at a much higher level at the whole Christmas period time-out to be quite honest.
“When that decision was made some time ago clearly what we are seeing now is the way that society has changed and our needs have changed and it is responding to that.
“Those discussions I’m sure will take place because clearly we have mentioned them and it’s just a matter now of how we take these things forward, involving the right people and see what we can do to meet the demands that we get these days which is almost like a 24 hour service.”
Cllr Lepoidevin said issues at Christmas “now seem to be an annual recurrence”.
She told Cllr Hetherton: “We both live in the Woodlands ward and I like many other councillors received numerous complaints about the service this year.
“Clearly communication was poor with bags left out many days. Would she agree with a senior member of her party that this year’s service was shambolic?”
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