People 'fed up' as bins go uncollected for weeks

Some families in an area of Cheshire say they have not had their bins collected since before Christmas, leaving them "utterly fed up".

Rubbish in Elworth, near Sandbach, is overflowing as a result, according to independent councillor Nicola Cook.

She told BBC Radio Stoke that after the festive period, bins due to be collected on 6 January went un-emptied due to wintry weather that day. And a subsequent collection on 20 January also did not go ahead because of weather conditions, she added.

Cheshire East Council thanked residents for their patience, and said the weather had disrupted collections over Christmas and at the beginning of this month.

Cook said rubbish was "flying all over" as a result of recent windy conditions.

Residents had indeed been "patient", she said, but were getting "totally and utterly fed up" with the situation.

"The council have advised that people can have up to three large bin bags with each bin," Cook said.

"Now we've missed another collection, we're getting up to six bin bags against each bin."

Leaving recycling bags untied so crews could check they only contained legitimate content had also posed an issue amid the conditions, Cook explained.

Councillor David Jefferay, chair of Cheshire East Council's environment and communities committee, said staff had been working overtime and at weekends to catch up.

The authority had faced a "perfect storm" of high collection volumes, difficult weather conditions and a significant amount of sickness absence, he said.

A council spokesperson added: "Where crews are available we are returning for missed collections and are doing everything we can to complete all outstanding collections."

They added: "If we haven't been able to return to your area, you can leave up to three extra standard-size bags next to your black bin or silver recycling bin."

Jefferay conceded communication with residents ought to have been better, and said this was something the authority would learn from.

Bins in Elworth would now be collected on Friday, he added.

Read more Cheshire stories from the BBC and follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.