BELFAST City Council is to review bin collections over the festive period after issues across the city.
Over the Christmas and New Year period the usual changes from normal bin collection days led to some residents not having their rubbish collected at all.
In recent weeks we have reported on issues regarding missed bin collections in the Colin area and recycling items left uncollected from a shared living complex in North Belfast for nine weeks.
At this week's People and Communities Committee meeting Sinn Féin Councillor Róis Máire Donnelly said the lack of communication from Council was the biggest issue.
“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," she explained.
“It seems to have been the north and west (Belfast) 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.
"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 added: “There have been huge issues with Bryson Recyling 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 a report to come back, and to make a call to Bryson Recycling to appear before the committee.
