COUNCILLORS in Grays have called for an improvement in the level of bin collection service in their ward after residents have persistently complained.

Speaking on behalf of fellow Grays Riverside ward councillors Cllr Tony Fish says: "Enough is enough."

The latest call comes just more than a month after environment portfolio holder Cllr Aaron Watkins issued a personal apology to borough residents for failures in the bin collection service – but in some wards little appears to have changed.

Early in July Cllr Watkins said: "We apologise to any residents who have experienced difficulties and I can reassure you that our crews are working extremely hard to make up any collection short-falls.

"Extra pressures created by coronavirus mean that our waste collections are not operating as they normally would.

"With residents working from home, or furloughed, we are seeing a significant rise in the amount of waste households are producing.

"Increased waste loads mean more work for crews on collection rounds and that they have to take waste lorries back to the depot, or the tip site in east London, more frequently than usual to empty the especially heavy loads they are carrying.

"There are also far more cars parked in the day time which can cause an obstruction preventing lorries from getting access to some roads."

However, in Grays Riverside councillors feel their residents are still being let down and that the problem is exacerbated as rubbish piles up around unemptied bins is causing a health hazard.

Cllr Fish said he and his colleagues were urging the council to have a more joined-up and consistent approach to refuse collections in their ward. And added: "We have had reports now of missed collections across our ward - not just one specific street or block.

"'As ward councillors, we keep dealing with individual cases. However, the time has come to say 'enough is enough.'

"We urge Thurrock Council to take action and deliver the service our residents pay for."

Thurrock Nub News has been told by sources inside the council that part of the problem is that relief contracted crews of bin collectors that have been recruited via agencies are not familiar with the areas they are serving and are regularly missing out streets on their routes.

Our source said: "This was supposed to solve the problem, but in many cases it is actually making things worse because crews are having to redeployed to cover the same routs twice and that means other streets miss out."