Council apologises after 10-week bin collection wait

Residents in a Flintshire village say their black bins have been left for 10 weeks without being empted

Flintshire council has apologised to residents who say their bins have not been collected for 10 weeks leaving them with flies and maggots.

Some residents in the village of Gronant say they have had to wait weeks for their black bins to be collected, with the summer heat exacerbating hygiene concerns in the area.

The reports are the latest in a run of complaints around delayed bin collections in the area, after the local authority introduced a three-week rota in April.

The council described the issue as "isolated" and said it was continuing to make improvements across its waste service.

David Wilson, 76, is a permanent resident of the Dunkason Caravan Park and is one of multiple residents who claim to have had issues with flies as a result of the waste being left out.

"The last time the bins were taken was 10 weeks ago now," he said.

"There are flies and maggots in them and the bin lorries have just driven past the end of the road," he explained.

Having lived in the area for 40 years, Mr Wilson said the bins had never been an issue in the past, until this year.

"They collect the recycling fine but the black bin waste, no chance," he added.

Don Layfield, who lives just next to the park, said he was advised to dispose of the waste himself when he raised a complaint.

"Who wants that in their car? Bin bags full of maggots and god knows what," the 62-year-old said.

"It's been the warmest months of the year and the rubbish has just been left."

Mr Layfield said the issue was becoming too much, with people walking by beginning to complain about the flies.

"We just want our bins to be collected when they say they will," he said.

In response to the complaints, a spokesperson for Flintshire County Council apologised to Mr Wilson and Mr Layfield directly.

"We understand how disruptive this has been – particularly during warmer weather – and we appreciate the concerns they've raised about the impact on hygiene and wellbeing."

They pledged to ensure bin collections in Gronant were resolved, adding: "While we recognise that isolated issues like this are frustrating, we are continuing to make improvements across the waste service to increase reliability and better support residents who may need additional help."