COUNCIL bosses have been warned they must acknowledge a “serious problem” after being forced to put notices up on to public bins asking residents not to dump household waste in them.

In June last year, Colchester Council scrapped weekly black sack collections and limited households to three sacks, or one wheelie bin, per fortnight.

Recycling and food waste is collected weekly.

As a result, the authority’s recycling rate has increased but critics have labelled the system as flawed, citing an increase in flytipping and in waste being taken by residents to the tip, in Shrub End Road.

Gazette:

Darius Laws, leader of the Conservative group on Colchester Council, said: “It is absolutely right we should be encouraging people to recycle but the council has got to accept there is a problem and these signs are indicative of that.

“If recycling rates are going up - and they appear to be - that’s a good thing but there are people out there who are struggling.

“I know from knocking on doors people are struggling.

“Residents tell me they are doing a tip run just to make sure they are keeping to the three bag limit.”

He added: “While the numbers are encouraging, some people are struggling and the council needs to accept that.”

The senior Tory also called for weekly collections to take place during busier times of the years, for example over Christmas, New Year and Easter.

Paul Smith, leader of Colchester Council, said the authority’s system has been a “resounding success” but admitted at least 70 fines have been dished out for flytipping since the changes were brought in.

He added: “There has been a massive increase in recycling and a doubling in the amount of food waste collected shows that the vast majority of of Colchester residents have got to grips with the new system and it is working well for them and the environment.

“But there are a few individuals who behave in an irresponsible manner and Colchester Council is making it clear that if people flytip, they are likely to receive a fixed penalty notice - a number of which have already been given out.”