A “NEGLECTED” resident who said his bins have not been collected for more than five weeks and missed a fortnight before that has called out the council online to compel it into action.
John Carstensen, of Cookshall Lane, in West Wycombe, said he feels ignored by Buckinghamshire Council which failed to properly empty his recycling bins for more than a month, resulting in an “overflow” of waste.
The climate and environment professional took to Twitter on Tuesday, September 8, demanding answers.
Mr Carstensen, who is also a former civil servant, told the Free Press other Cookshall Lane residents have taken to leaving their full bins on the street, so as to “not to miss a collection, should it happen”.
He has complained to the council “several” times and said the recycling waste needs to be disposed of in a “sound way”.
“A recycling collection last happened more than five weeks ago,” said Mr Carstensen. “It will be six weeks on Tuesday.
“The service normally happens on Tuesdays, with a fortnightly service alternating between rubbish one week and food and garden and recycling waste the next.
“The bins are beginning to overflow and have been left out by all the residents so as to not to miss a collection, should it happen.
“We have complained to the council but its website indicates it is aware of the missed collection, so there is no need to register it.
“A recycling collection was also missed seven weeks ago but picked up the following week. We feel neglected which is why I resorted to Twitter.”
In a September 8 tweet Mr Carstensen wrote: “Still no collection of recycling for 5 weeks in West Wycombe and no explanation despite several complaints. What’s going on @BucksCouncil @MATatBucks ?”
@MATatBucks is the Twitter account of Buckinghamshire Council leader, Martin Tett.
Mr Carstensen received from the council a direct message on Twitter, on Thursday, September 10, notifying him his complaint had been sent to the Wycombe Waste Team.
“A new contractor started on 07/09/20 for recycling, waste and street cleaning, which has been done to improve the service for residents, but I can see from our website that there have been delays with the collections in various areas,” it stated.
Mr Carstensen said: “The important thing to me is the recycling. It is not a case of just getting rid of it, it has to happen in an environmentally sound way.”
He added he was concerned people would end up just “dumping” the recycling in with the rest of the rubbish.
Buckinghamshire Council has been approached for comment.
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