DESPITE denials from Thurrock Council, union representatives within its environmental services department have confirmed they have been told the borough's brown bins collections will be put on hold after next week's coming collection blitz.

As reported on Thurrock Nub News yesterday, the council is to suspend blue bin collections next week and instead concentrate on a brown bin collection week.

The move has been described by political opponents as a cynical pre-election gambit, sparked by environment portfolio holder Cllr Andrew Jefferies in a bid to assuage disgruntled residents.

Feedback on the doorsteps reported by political parties in the run up to next month's local elections, show the lack of brown bin collections - which has been the cash-strapped council's chosen position over recent months as it seeks to save money - has been a top talking point.

It may even be a decisive factor in some marginal wards - which opponents say caused Cllr Jefferies to overide officer advice and central government protocols in a bid to try and turn the tide of local disquiet.

He is reported to have had angry exchanges with officers before giving them a direct order to launch next week's collections.

However, Thurrock Nub News has been told by several sources that the brown bin collection could be the last in the borough for some time, perhaps forever if the council continues its plans to introduce a separate waste food collection service later this year.

In February Conservative Cllr Allen Mayes described the council's bins service as 'ridiculous'

Garden waste collections might then become optional, with residents having to pay for the service.

The council had gone so far as to brief staff on collection vehicles that they would be given stickers to put on the bins, telling residents that the brown bin service is to be suspended until an unknown point and that residents should put garden waste in their green bins.

Collection of green bins is a statutory duty of the council, collection of blue recycling bins is a 'medium priority' while garden waste collection is regarded as a low priority - and it is not a legal requirement.

The government, in advice to councils which can be read via this link is quite clear.

It advises councils to review garden waste collections and consider temporarily stopping them.

The government also advises councils that if they temporarily stop brown bin collections, which Thurrock has done for several months, they should 'consider whether to 'reimburse customers for the break in service'.

Despite staff being briefed by the government-imposed commissoners running its financial measures that it will now only carry out basic statutory requirements across most services, including waste collection, Thurrock Council has not indicated it will undertake that measure.

Members of the bins teams have told Thurrock Nub News about the council's initial plans for stickers, though they have now been aborted because the council were unable to source them in time.

That has been confirmed by a Unite union official - and the council has not denied that it had a plan to issue the stickers, but says that will now not happen next week.

A statement issued to Nub News by the council says: "No stickers are being distributed for brown bins during next week's collection.

"As has previously been shared, we are working on collecting the backlog of garden waste around current staffing levels.

"Details on future collections are not available at this time.

"There is no formal decision on the future of the brown bin service, any decision would be made through the council's governance process."

The statement by the council not to tell people next week's blitz is planned to be the last for some time appears a clear breach of government guidance.

In its directive to councils the government says: "If resource or staff availability is severely pressured, you may need to change or close services temporarily. You must consider your statutory duties if you do this.

"It is your responsibility to tell residents clearly how and when waste collection services are changing.

"This includes changes in days and how often waste will be collected. It is essential that you give residents as much advanced warning as possible. Make it clear that changes are to prioritise public health."

Thurrock Council has repeatedly made changes to bin collections and missed rounds, often only telling residents retrospectively after the collections have been missed.

Environment portfolio holder Cllr Jefferies, who has previously admitted serious flaws in the council's management of its waste collection services, has been invited to comment on the latest situation, but has so far declined.

As well as halting brown bin collections, the council also plans cuts to its environmental services.

The Unite union has confirmed that agency staff working as part of the council's 'cleaner greener programme' have been told contracts will not be renewed and staff levels are to be pared right down.

Thurrock Nub News first broke that news in early April - but the council has declined to comment.

The council has recently employed highly-paid specialist waste managers, committing to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds in annual wages to top brass - while services at the sharp end have suffered.