Resident claims 'council demands I leave my bins half a mile away' to be collected

Richard Evans, local democracy reporter

A man claims his local council has told him to leave his bins half a mile from his house in order for them to be collected.

Dave Thompson, 61, who lives at a property off Cwm Road in Rhuallt, said Denbighshire council told him they will now only empty his bins and recycling if he leaves at the end of a long track.

He said the problem started when the local authority introduced a new bin and recycling scheme in June.

Denbighshire Council’s botched launch of its new “Trolibocs” system initially led to hundreds of reports of missed bin and recycling collections.

After months of problems, Denbighshire revised its bin-wagon routes.

But Mr Thompson said the council still refuses to collect his rubbish or recycling from his home, and said the authority asks that he leaves his bin and recycling containers half a mile away at the end of a long track.

Mr Thompson claimed the council always collected the rubbish from his home since he moved to the property two and a half years ago – until the new bin scheme was launched in June.

He also claims his neighbour had the same arrangement during the previous 15 years that they lived there.

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Dispute

Mr Thompson’s dispute has been backed by Denbighshire councillor Chris Evans, who is concerned about bins being left away from the property in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

“The council have emptied my bins and recycling maybe five times since June,” said Mr Thompson.

“I’m absolutely frustrated. There have been a dozen emails sent to people high up in the council.

“They sent a team leader out a month ago, who said, ‘we’ve evaluated the situation, and we are now asking for your bins to be left at the top of the track’ – which is half a mile away from the house.

“I thought they meant dragging them up, but they mean leaving them there permanently.

“It is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.”

He added: “There has been a problem with rats.

“I’ve had to take everything to the recycling centre myself, maybe a dozen times, to Rhyl, which is probably an hour and a half round trip, paying for my own fuel.”

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Turning space

Cllr Evans claimed there was plenty of turning space for bin wagons to visit Mr Thompson’s address and explained he feared leaving the bins so far away would create an eyesore.

“Where the council are asking to put the bins is the AONB, which is at the end of Cwm Woods,” he said.

“My issue is if we go back to the heavy winds of the other week, the place was a mess.

“When the winds are blowing, it creates a mess.

“Who is going to clean the bins up when the rubbish is blown into the woods?

“The bins will look an eyesore in the AONB when we are trying to welcome people into Denbighshire.

“The bins can get blown over in the wind. And who is accountable if those bins are stolen?

“They are not on Mr Thompson’s property.

“If they are taken by someone who doesn’t want to buy their own bins, who is going to be accountable?

“They will be used as dog poo bins.”

He added: “This is an issue, not just in my ward, but in all rural areas.”

A Denbighshire County Council spokesperson said: “We have been in contact with Mr Thompson following his concerns regarding his collections and we will continue to work with him to find a solution.”