REFUSE collectors have been warned that they might lose their contract after complaints about late collections.>

Waste firm told to clean up its act after complaints

Picture shows resident Gerry Shea

REFUSE collectors have been warned that they might lose their contract after complaints about late collections.

Onyx has been collecting refuse from 63,750 homes in Wycombe district since 1996. The Bucks Free Press has received complaints about late and missed collections.

Wycombe District Council said this week that Onyx management has been warned to improve. The council said it received about 800 complaints a week after rounds were reorganised in March. It was still receiving 250 complaints last week.

Cllr Derek Done (Lib Dem, Marlow South), chairman of the planning, environment and transportation committee, told a council meeting on Monday: "We're not at all happy with the contract."

He said that a meeting will be held with Onyx management to warn that them it was "crunch time."

He told the Bucks Free Press: "There have been complaints by about five per cent of households and we are very firmly pursuing it."

Cllr David Cox (Con, Hazlemere East) said: "If this goes on, Onyx could lose their contract."

Cllr Cox took up the case of Gerry Shea, of Oakengrove Road, Hazlemere. His bin should have been emptied last Thursday but after complaints it was only done on Monday.

"It's a shambles and will cause more of a problem in hotter weather with smelly refuse left uncollected," said Mr Shea. "We're paying more council tax but the collection service has got worse."

Households complained last month and Onyx said it rescheduled its collection days in March ready for new vehicles capable of better handling of wheely bins. It hopes to have the vehicles in June. Onyx said some leaflets giving households new collection dates were not delivered.

Steve Bolton, Onyx contract manager, said: "Reorganisation in general otherwise has not gone too badly. There's still some minor rebalancing to do which is an ongoing process, but this has been delayed due to the number of bank holidays after the reschedules, which have caused a certain amount of confusion."

He said that the company has put in vast amounts of money and resources to rectify the problem.

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