Missed rubbish collections in Wandsworth have left the streets in a terrible state, with rats running wild and the smell of rotting food filling the air, according to councillors. This comes after Wandsworth council introduced free food waste collections for households with enough space for a storage container four months ago.
Wandsworth Conservatives raised concerns about persistent issues with the new rubbish collection service at a recent council meeting. They highlighted problems such as missed collections, increased littering, and failure to deliver storage ‘caddies’ to households. The motion called for the council to ensure a fully-functional system is in place.
Councillor Lynsey Hedges expressed disappointment on behalf of residents in Balham, Clapham South, and across the borough. She criticized the Labour administration for failing to deliver on their promise of a cleaner borough and for the shortcomings of the food waste roll-out.
Residents shared their frustrations, with one resident from Calbourne Road, Balham, reporting bags of uncollected recycling waste piling up on the streets days after the scheduled collection day. The situation has become so bad that over 30 bags were left uncollected on one street alone.
In response, Labour councillor Judi Gasser, the cabinet member for the environment, pointed fingers at the previous Conservative administration for some of the inherited problems. She mentioned budget cuts to street cleaning and the removal of bins from the streets as contributing factors to the current situation.
Councillor Gasser assured residents that progress is being made to improve the service, and plans are in place to reach out to residents to explain the changes. The council is committed to addressing the issues and ensuring that the waste management system functions effectively for the benefit of the community. Residents can expect better communication and service delivery in the coming months.
