A LOCAL councillor says residents were left ‘confused and in the dark’ about changes to Christmas and New Year bin collections following Barnsley Council’s decision last year to stop sending out printed bin calendars and to only publish bin collection information online.
Liberal Democrat councillor Hannah Kitching, who represents the Penistone West ward, said: “Unlike in previous years and in other authority areas, residents this year have not received a printed hard copy of the bin collection calendar for their street.
“While this information is, of course, available online, many residents do not have either the technology, the skills or in some areas of my ward the broadband required to access this. So many people are relying on waiting to see which bin their neighbours put out.
“Penistone has Tuesday bin collections which this year fell on both Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Residents have been completely at a loss as to which bin is being emptied when.
“Using the council’s boroughwide online information relies on knowing when your usual bin collection should be and it appears that many residents do not.
“Adding to the confusion has been a lack of consistency with the replacement collections some on a Saturday, some on a Monday, some on a Thursday.
“I appreciate staffing and scheduling challenges over the Christmas period but these changes have been impossible for people to remember.
“I have seen long Facebook threads of arguments about what bin should go out when, with many residents resorting to putting out all their bins just in case.
“Even on New Year’s Day morning my street was littered with grey bins.
“I have heard about a whole housing estate which missed their grey bin collection on the 31st those full bins now won’t be emptied for another fortnight.
“I have even had calls from vulnerable residents who are very upset and confused this is wholly unacceptable.”
A Barnsley Council spokesman said: “We took the decision a year ago to not provide and deliver paper copies of the bin collection calendar as part of our Digital First programme to reflect the changing nature of business and retail being conducted online.
“However, there are still plenty of ways for our residents to access the information.
“If residents would like a paper copy of their annual bin collection calendar, they are available on our website to download and print at home. Alternatively, they can visit their local library and a member of staff will assist them to print off a paper copy.
“The rearranged dates for collections over the Christmas period were included on those calendars.
“In addition, the information regarding bin collections was published on the council’s website, on social media from December 12 and distributed to the local press.”
