Council officer says they are looking at measures they can take in the Bryson contract to ‘correct’ collection failure
(Image: Stock)
Belfast Council is to review the drop in bin collections during the January cold snap amidst accusations of a lack of communication with residents.
Council officers told elected representatives that there would be a review of collections at the end of December and into the New Year. Councillors also agreed they would call on Bryson Recycling to come to City Hall to explain themselves, amidst widespread and long term reports of a failure to collect recycling bins, sometimes over periods exceeding a month.
Sinn Féin Councillor Róis Máire Donnelly said at the January meeting of the council’s People and Communities Committee, held this week: “In relation to the missed bins over the Christmas period, I do understand there were issues with the weather, which we cannot foresee, but there are issues that have to be raised.
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“It seems to have been the north and west that were the most heavily impacted, and I would imagine that was due to the days those bins were to be collected. But I want to see if there is an understanding of the issues, and how they were responded to. We need information on that, and what plans are in the future.”
She added: “One of the biggest issues for me, and our party, was the lack of communication. We were getting a lot of complaints and queries, people wanting some sort of guidance as to when their bins were going to be emptied. This weather is likely to happen again, and we want to see how it can be mitigated.”
A council officer replied: “We are carrying out a review now of the Christmas collection and the impact of the cold weather snap, and a range of issues, so we would be happy to look at that and take a paper back to members.”
Sinn Féin Councillor Nichola Bradley said: “There have been huge issues with Bryson across the city, and I am sure I am not the only person who has heard about this problem. We need to get them in here to speak to them.”
The council officer said: “We officers are aware of the issues. We were planning to take an update to members next month in relation to Bryson collection issues, and what measures we can take in that contract to correct that, and get collections up and running. That paper can still come back.”
Councillors agreed for the paper to come back, and to make a call to Bryson to appear before the committee.
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