COMPLAINTS from around Helensburgh and Lomond at the area's new bin collection regime show no sign of going away - more than two months after a new system of uplifts was introduced.

Argyll and Bute Council reduced 'general waste' bin uplifts to three-weekly at the end of October to cut costs and promote recycling.

The authority has this week apologised to residents whose bins were not collected over the festive season - when uplift dates were moved back by 24 hours due to the Christmas and New Year holidays - but complaints from residents of Helensburgh, Garelochhead, Rhu and Arrochar suggest that the council still has plenty of work to do to ensure everyone's bins are collected on the days they should be.

Helensburgh resident Liz McLean told the Advertiser that her bins had not been uplifted on the scheduled day from outside her home in Charlotte Street since a new collection system took effect at the end of October.

“We put them out on a Thursday but it could be Saturday before it's uplifted,” she said.

“It all worked perfectly for 20 years, but since they changed the system it hasn't worked from day one. The green bin, the recycling bin and the glass bin are all haywire.

“Leaving your bin out for days leads people to think there's nobody in, so it's a security problem as well.”

Another Helensburgh resident, Tony Moffat from Duchess Drive, said: There are five people in our family, and I have a two-year-old child in nappies. I've been told we're entitled to an extra bin but it won't be provided until the end of January.

“People round here don't know whether they're coming or going. I've been told to just take my waste to the tip, but what if I can't do that?

“I have a car. I can take my rubbish to the tip. But that's not the point. The point is I'm paying for something that I'm not getting.”

The ongoing problem was also raised at two community council meetings in the area last week.

Lomond North councillor George Freeman told Rhu and Shandon community council: “The guys are working like beavers, but the system is a disaster.

“People don't know when their bins are going to be emptied, so they're leaving them out, and having bins left out all week long is another disaster.

“Trying to get the council to sort it so far is proving virtually impossible.”

RSCC convener Jack Rudram observed wryly: "I know when my bins will be collected - the schedule says Thursday, and they always come on Saturday!"

At Arrochar and Tarbet community council, depute convener Ronnie MacDonald complained: “My bin should have been collected last Friday and it wasn't emptied until Wednesday. How can anybody know when their bins will be collected?”

An Argyll and Bute Council spokesperson said: “The council has introduced the new refuse and recycling service to 47,000 properties including 12,000 properties in Helensburgh and Lomond alone.

“This has been a big change for our communities and we would like to thank people for their patience and for working with us to help increase recycling. As a result we have seen a big increase in food recycling.

“The council works hard to make sure we can empty peoples’ bins on the given days, however, there can be operational difficulties which mean this isn’t always possible.

“Every effort is made to collect bins as soon as possible following any disruption and keep residents informed of any changes using our website.

“If your bin isn’t collected on the scheduled please leave it out the next day.”

The normal uplift schedules for the area resumed on Monday of this week.

Helensburgh councillor Ellen Morton, the authority's policy lead for roads and amenity services, said: “Like all councils we have to change the way we do things because of drastically reduced funding, with £10 million of savings this year alone.

“At the same time we have to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill because we pay over £80 in tax for every tonne.”