Trafford council tell Amey sort out “failing” bin collections immediately or we will

[dropcap style ‘circles’]Trafford Council today wrote to their waste contractor, Amey, warning that unless their bin collection service improves, they will step in on a temporary basis and run it themselves.

The warning comes after months of complaints about the quality of the service from residents, following a change to the waste collection timetable which was implemented last October which meant most residents saw their bin days  change.

Amey is contracted by Trafford Council to undertake domestic waste collections for the borough as part of the wider One Trafford Partnership between the two organisations.

The council say that they have taken this action after “repeated meetings at a senior level” in which concerns were raised, but the meetings “have not led to the improvements that the Council was expecting”.

In what the council describe as a “strongly worded letter” they outlined the following:

• The service is failing and immediate action is needed to remedy the situation.
• Under the current situation, they claim what they call Amey’s persistent failures, are placing the Council in a position where it is in breach of its statutory duties around waste collection.
• And that there are health and safety concerns as rubbish has not been collected from certain locations for a long time.”

The council then goes on to demand that several measures are implemented by Amey to address the situation in the short -term, including:

• Supervisors monitoring all collection rounds to ensure completion for all properties until there is a full cycle of rounds at the required performance level;
• Additional resources to be deployed to ensure full completion of each round on the day due for collection
• A proactive communications plan to provide accurate information to councillors and residents on performance and the improvement plan;
• The drawing up of a detailed plan setting out details of how the service is to be maintained at the required contractual levels.”
• They conclude in the strongest terms that if there is no improvement then the Council will look to exercise its rights under the agreement by moving to  run the service on a temporary basis to “get it back on track”.

Trafford Council Leader Cllr Andrew Western said: “The waste collection service is simply not up to scratch – it is failing and the residents of Trafford deserve better.

“I am getting complaint after complaint from angry and frustrated residents and I share their anger. What is happening is not good enough. Amey need to get their act together.

“We were promised the route changes implemented back in October would lead to an improvement in the service but despite repeated assurance at the meetings we have had with Amey, it has not happened – the service has got worse.

“Residents repeatedly face not having their bins collected and as a Council we cannot stand idly by and that is why we are demanding action.

“Partnerships involve working together but I am afraid Amey are not delivering on their side of this partnership.”

Amey say the new service has seen 88% of household collection days change, which has taken longer to become fully embedded and stabilised than anticipated

In a statement tonight they said:”