Waste collections from flats and HMO’s are not fit for purpose

I have today written to the Director of Operations at Birmingham City Council, Richard Brooks and the Cabinet Member for the Environment and Transport, Councillor Majid Mahmood to ask that something be done to sort out the appalling inconsistency in collection of waste from communal containers of flats and HMO’s. See my email below.
I have received a reply from Richard Brooks office  to say the issue will be investigated and an update be provided as a priority.

Dear Richard and Majid

I have highlighted this before, but can anything be done please, whilst industrial action continues, to improve the appalling inconsistency in the collection of waste from communal flats and HMO’s that use large container bins?

At the beginning of the strike the council communicated that these properties would be prioritised for collections. In my experience the opposite has happened.

Residents in flats report their frustration at seeing a crew emptying their neighbours wheelie bins weekly whilst their communal bin store is overflowing with bags and hasn’t had a collection for weeks.

I am spending a huge amount of my time chasing these collections. This is time I should be allocating to other pressing casework. Many properties only get a collection when the residents contact me and I highlight it to the depot supervisors, despite them reporting the missed collections themselves, often multiple times.

In a growing number of cases management agents for flats are arranging private waste collections and cleaners to clear the bin stores. This is a cost that will be passed on to the residents in their service charge. This is not acceptable or fair, these are not luxury apartments and most residents are already paying high rents and council tax. They are less likely to own a car to be able to  visit a HRC or MHWC and they do not have the storage space to hoard waste and recycling.

I do not have any criticism of the depot service managers, who are excellent and very responsive – but surely some review of management of communal collections has to take place, as this is not sustainable.

Best wishes

Izzy