Council investigates risks after bins blunder

Rubbish was not collected between 24 January and 6 February due to the error

A council is investigating any risk of future mistakes after an error meant bins were not collected for two weeks.

Uttlesford District Council failed to ensure its waste operator's licence was renewed in an administrative issue in January.

The blunder cost taxpayers about £75,000 and saw the Essex authority receive a record number of complaints.

A council spokesman said the findings of its investigation would "be published where appropriate in due course".

The internal investigation into "operational resilience across the organisation" was being led by a cross-party group of councillors, he added.

Petrina Lees, leader of Uttlesford District Council, asked residents to "bear with us" after the authority's error

Rubbish was not collected between 24 January and 6 February after the waste operator's licence was revoked.

A report previously revealed refuse lorries and staff had to be borrowed from Braintree District Council, at a cost of £68,000, to remedy the issue.

Officers later concluded there had been a "significant failing" of management in letting the operator's licence end.

Speaking in April, councillor Bianca Donald, of the Residents for Uttlesford independents, said the episode did "not cover us in glory".