Chief Executive of Tonbridge & Malling Council, Julie Beilby, has written an open letter on behalf of both authorities to the Managing Director of the waste contractor, Javier Peiro.
In it she says the ‘time for excuses and apologies was over’ and told Mr Peiro that they would be triggering a penalty clause in the contract following hundreds of complaints from residents about missed bin collections and poor service in both the boroughs.
Urbaser took over bin collections for both councils earlier this year in a joint deal worth around £3million.
From September 30, residents have been able to recycle glass and food waste as well as opt for a paid-for garden waste collection service.
But three months on, and householders have been complaining that bins are still getting missed and that the general service has been poor.
In her open letter, Ms Beilby says the two councils wished to ‘express our deep frustration with the poor waste collection service Urbaser is providing for our residents’.
She continued: “We always appreciated that the new waste partnership scheme would take some time to bed in and that some teething problems were to be expected.
“However, we are now three months into the new arrangements and neither council has seen the necessary improvements, despite numerous assurances at the many meetings that have been held. Our residents expect regular and reliable waste collection and are justifiably frustrated that they are not getting it.”
She went on: “With the New Year not offering any improvement in the service, the time for excuses and apologies is over.
“Neither council can allow the situation to continue. I am therefore providing notice that having already issued a number of default notices, both councils intend to trigger financial penalty clauses in the contract in the hope that this focuses minds on this very serious problem.”
And she warned the councils would ‘not hesitate to continue to impose additional penalties’.
Urbaser has been contacted for comment.
