We are now in the second week of the new collection arrangements which has thrown up a number of issues to be resolved. The main problems so far have been as follows
- Wrong bins put out on the day of collection
- Garden Waste put out with the recycling instead of refuse bin
- Collection missed - either because a round could not be completed on the allotted day or because addresses were missed by crews who were still familiarising themselves with the round
- Bottle banks not emptied when due because of vehicle problems
- Litter bins not emptied when due
All of these issues are being logged by the City Council and sent on to the contractor, Biffa for resolution. Biffa are beginning to catch up following deployment of additional resources to address the problems (see below) and we are hoping that they will get on top of the problem shortly.
Because these problems have created a high number of phone calls to our contact number we have increased call handling capacity. As a result call response times have greatly improved. We are also bringing in some additional resources to process requests once all details have been recorded and send these on for resolution by Biffa.
As well as putting out a Press Statement on these issues (which resulted in some local coverage in the press) we have also added more information to the front page of our website confirming advice to householders
The Client Monitoring Staff are meeting tomorrow to review the position and agree our approach for next week including detailed monitoring of problem areas with the aim of resolving as many outstanding collections as soon as possible.
The latest position from Biffa is that they
- Will be providing a daily update on the mop-up crews so that we can gauge how quickly they are with catching up.
- 2 additional vehicles have been deployed to mop up those areas that were missed yesterday. One is collecting refuse and one recycling. These will then go on to assist with outstanding green waste collections.
- 1 vehicle is assisting with the glass bulk bins which were not emptied week. Extra staff are on this vehicle to ensure as much of the ‘side waste’ (glass left on site) without slowing down the operation.
- 1 vehicle has been dedicated to collecting recorded missed bins, again this vehicle will have a loader and they will pick up any waste left out when they visit specifically reported areas.
- Are seeking volunteers to work this Saturday to try and complete the backlog by Monday.
- From tomorrow they are also drafting in additional vehicles and crews from other contracts to help catch up with backlogs
If householders request advice then please use the following principles
- As households to report any problems using the online form at www.working-together.org.uk or by telephoning 0300 300 0013
- If a bin or bag is missed ensure it is left out for collection rather than remove it.
- Double check calendars to ensure the right bin was put out on the right collection day.
- Once a problem is reported there is no need to contact us again. Collection crews will have the details and will empty the bin as soon as practicable.
- Anyone needing a collection calendar can download one for their area via www.working-together.org.uk
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