THURROCK Council has come under widespread criticism across social media for continued problems with bin collection services across the borough.

For several weeks residents have been reporting problems and the council has apologised and run extra services at weekends to try and catch up.

However, despite it being just a few weeks since promoting its bin collection service via the addition of new lorrries to its fleet when environment portfolio holder Cllr Andrew Jefferies said: "We are investing millions in these new state-of-the-art bin lorries. They will allow us to improve how we collect household waste and help us to increase the borough's recycling rates", the council has given no reason for the latest issues but points the finger of blame elsewhere.

A statement issued this afternoon (Friday, 8 April) says: "Due to unavoidable issues outside of the council's control, we're running no more than one day behind on refuse and recycling collections and 4 days behind on garden waste.

"If your bins have not been collected, please leave them out and our crews will come to you."

The council had previously linked some delays to the ongoing protests in the borough by the JustStopOil group campaigners, though their action began last Friday (1 April) and residents have been reporting significant collection delays for several weeks.

A council statement issued two days ago said: "Due to unavoidable issues outside of the council's control caused by the protestors targeting Thurrock, we are running no more than one day behind on refuse and recycling collections across the borough and we are running four days behind on garden waste.

"If your bins have not been collected, please leave them out and our crews will come to you. We aim to be fully up to date by the end of the day on Monday 11 April if there is no further disruption to the service outside of our control."