Bins crisis continues in some parts of Harrogate

Howard Baker, of Moorlands Farm at Fewston, said he was concerned the growing pile of waste near his home was becoming a health issue.

"The smell in the heat and vermin that it is now starting to attract is getting out of control," he said.

He said that the recycling hadn't been collected since June 11, while the last time general waste was picked up was on June 18.

Missed bins have sparked outrage across sections of the region since new collection routes were actioned in June, with cabinet member for the environment, waste reduction and recycling, Coun Andy Paraskos, last week thanking residents for their patience so far.“The vast majority of the changes have gone without a hitch, but we have had a few issues affecting some collections," he said.

“I am very sorry for the disruption that’s been caused and I thank residents for their patience while the new routes bed in.

“We understand what the issues are and we have a plan in place to catch up."

The new routes and collection days were adopted by the waste collection service in June in a bid to incorporate hundreds of new homes that have been built or are currently being developed across the district, as well as increasing the "efficiency" of the service.

The changes, which involve about 75,000 properties over 500 square miles, lead to the loss of one bin collection crew, although no jobs were lost according to the council, with the reduction in crew put down to natural turnover.

Lachlan Leeming, Local Democracy Reporter