Madam,

I am writing in relation to Ceredigion County Council not collecting recyclable refuse.

The council has made a big push to increase its recycling, rates yet on five occasions this year they have failed to collect our recycling waste, and our neighbours’, on our country lane. All of the non-collections are detailed on the council website and are usually blamed on ‘resource issues’.

I have contacted them and they have so far blamed it on new vehicles, lack of staff, and staff diverted elsewhere for other duties.

On Wednesday, 19 September, they failed to collect the recyclable material and again the website stated it was because of resource issues. I contacted them and they stated they would collect on the Saturday. They did not collect.

I again contacted them on Monday, 24 September, and they stated they did indeed put a refuse vehicle out to collect but the driver “must have forgotten our route”.

On Wednesday, 26 September, they again failed to collect the recyclable refuse but did collect the black bags. Once again the reason on the website was given as resource issues.

Again I telephoned the council and they stated that black bags get priority as it is a two-weekly service; that no additional collection would take place until Wednesday, 3 October; that the resource issue was a lack of staff.

It is most confusing that on Wednesday, 26th a council van was on our small lane filling potholes (which is presumably the highways department?) but the council is stating it has no staff.

It is not acceptable that refuse collections are missed with such regularity and it most certainly does not assist the council with their intention to recycle more.

I could, should I have a mind to, which I don’t, place my recycling bags in black bags and get rid of them that way as apparently they have priority.

Or perhaps I could burn as much as possible as many of the surrounding farms do?

I am not against taking goods/bags to the recycling centres, but in Ceredigion we seem to have the tail wagging the dog as the recycling centres restrict certain types of vehicles, numbers of bags, etc.

The council is either not trying, or being incompetent.

Yours etc,

Name and address supplied.

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