Resident’s fury at city stance amid collections chaos

LITTER meanies are still issuing fines for rogue bags of rubbish, despite overflowing bins across the city, it emerged today.

One resident said she was stunned to receive a £50 fixed penalty notice amid the chaos of the move to fortnightly collections.

Elsewhere, bin men have been accused of refusing to lift wheelie bins if the lid is not completely closed.

Today, the city council apologised and thanked residents for their “continued patience” as crews work through the rubbish backlog.

Christiana Petrou, 26, of Viewcraig Gardens, contacted the Evening News after receiving the fine for littering last month, days after the new regime came into force.

She said she was sure all her rubbish had been put in the communal bin, but thinks it might have been dislodged by others as rubbish piled up.

She said: “I returned home to find that my flatmates had received a fine in my name from an environmental warden. She said that a rubbish bag had been found outside of the bins.

“On a letter I received afterwards, it added that evidence had been removed from the waste, identifying me as the owner. I don’t know how the bag came to be on the floor, but I find it a bit much of the council to fine me as the bins are often overflowing. Walking along the street, I see bags alongside the bins all the time.”

Ms Petrou said the fine had later been quashed and the council said it would “continue to be understanding” while the problems continue.

Lisa Ryrie, of Baberton Mains Park, said her neighbours had to force bin men to take away her fortnightly bin.

The admin assistant, 34, had put her green bin out for collection on Monday, but on her return from work she was stunned to hear how one of her elderly neighbours had to chase the lorry down the street.

She said: “The lid was slightly up and my neighbour Alistair told me that the bin men refused to empty it. He put his hand on the bin lid to shut it completely and asked them to empty it, but by this time the lorry had moved off around the corner.

“After much arguing they agreed, but he then had to run down the street with the green bin to have it emptied.”

She added: “I am totally sickened at the lack of service. After all, we pay an absolute fortune in council tax. It is absolutely ridiculous.”

Councillor Lesley Hinds, the city’s environment convener, said overflowing bins and any excess bags would be picked up while the problems continue.

She said: “I am aware that there have been incidents in some areas where this hasn’t been happening and I have again made it clear today to senior managers that every effort should be made to accommodate any extra waste presented by householders.

“I would like to apologise to any residents who have been affected in this way and thank them for their continued patience as we work to get their collections back on schedule.”