Coventry refuse workers 'warned daily' over fence urination

Several refuse collectors were found to be regularly urinating on a Coventry property

Refuse workers had to be issued with daily warnings after they were found to be urinating regularly outside a house.

A council investigation found "many members" of Coventry's bin crews used the property's fence and bush "more than once" to relieve themselves.

Following a complaint from the unidentified resident, supervisors had to issue "daily reminders" to crews and point them towards facilities.

Coventry City Council was also forced to apologise to the resident.

He had photographed a refuse worker urinating on his property and sent it to the council in what was initially believed to be an isolated incident, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

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However the council investigation found the issue ran deeper and had to warn its staff that their behaviour could lead to disciplinary action.

Crews were regularly reminded not to use the man's property, with supervisors "repeating the message via the intercom" even while crews were at work.

Coventry City Council said the workers' behaviour had been "dealt with"

The resident, who feared his young daughter "may have been exposed to the sight of the crew urinating", referred the case to the Local Government Ombudsman after a gap of a year between his first and last complaint to the council.

The watchdog decided not to investigate, however, after finding the council had taken "a fair and proportionate response".

Coventry City Council would not disclose how many members of its staff had been involved or whether they remained in their posts but said the complaint had been "dealt with".