Residents' Bin Crisis Sparks Urgent Council Action

A Bracknell councillor has branded conditions at a Hampden Crescent block of flats "truly shocking" after overflowing bins were left for up to four weeks during the heatwave, with some families forced to leave because of flies and unbearable smells.

Cllr Roy Bailey has demanded urgent action after residents in the Parks estate said a long-running dispute over contaminated and inaccessible bins left rubbish piling up outside homes.

Residents told the LDRS how they were living 'like animals' after one neighbour put a non-compliant item in a recycling bin. "We get flies and the smell is unbearable. We're living like animals."

Liz Quarterman added: "The private residents get their bins emptied every week. It's only for the housing association tenants that they don't bother." Businessman Petrica Platon said: "It's disgusting in this heat. We have bugs indoors."

Two teenage children reportedly had to move out of a ground-floor flat during the heatwave because of flies and bugs. The block has four Grundon bins and four recycling bins shared between 12 flats.

It was initially thought the problem began when a non-recyclable item was put in a blue bin in mid-May and refuse collectors refused to take it. It later emerged several bins were locked in a bin shed during the June heatwave, blocking access.

Mum Sam Wills said she returned from visiting family to find the stench unbearable. "It's very very smelly. I live on the ground floor and it's making me feel sick. My 16-year-old son and my 13-year-old daughter aren't here because she's got asthma. They've had to go to my mum's."

By Thursday July 8, after Cllr Bailey intervened, some rubbish had been cleared but residents said recycling waste remained. Sam Wills said: "Half of the rubbish has now been emptied however the recycling waste is still there. Roy has been very good at trying to get this resolved."

Andrew Hunter, executive director, place for Bracknell Forest Council said: "We are aware of ongoing concerns about waste and recycling collections at a block of flats in Hampden Crescent. Our waste collection crews have attended every scheduled collection at this location. On 3 June, crews were unable to access the bin store because the door entry code was not working. On 17 June and 1 July, the bins could not be emptied because they were overloaded, contaminated with items such as glass, plastic bags and tissues, and access was blocked by waste left on the floor. The council notified Clarion Housing Group after each visit and explained why the collection could not be completed. Keeping bin stores clear, tidy and ready for collection is the responsibility of the managing agent or housing association. Although we were advised that excess waste would be removed before the next collection, the issues had not been resolved when crews returned. Clarion Housing has confirmed a team will be collecting the remainder of the waste tomorrow (Wednesday) and have arranged for their cleaning contractor to attend on Friday to carry out a deep clean. Our crews will safely collect waste and recycling when bins are accessible, contain the correct materials and are not overloaded. We will continue to work with the managing agent to resolve the issue. If no action is taken to clear the waste and improve access, the matter will be referred to the Public Protection Partnership."

A Clarion Housing spokesperson said: "We are sorry that residents have been experiencing an issue with the bin store at Hampden Crescent and we have been working hard to resolve this. Waste disposal is the responsibility of the local authority, however Bracknell Forest Council informed us the bins would not be collected at the end of June due to contamination. Since then our waste collection contractor has attended twice to clear rubbish. Unfortunately, due to availability and the need for specialist PPE a full clearance has not yet been possible. An appointment is in place for the bin store to be completely cleared today, with a deep clean of the area booked for tomorrow. We are committed to resolving this issue as soon as possible and our neighbourhood response team is in contact with residents to discuss any ongoing concerns."

Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter