Uttlesford's administrative bins error costs taxpayers £75k

Bins across the Uttlesford district, including here in Great Dunmow, were not emptied over the course of a fortnight

An administrative error that meant bins were not collected for two weeks cost local taxpayers about £75,000.

Rubbish was not collected between 24 January and 6 February across Uttlesford in Essex after the council failed to ensure its waste operator's licence was renewed.

A full council meeting was told that a record number of complaints were made to Uttlesford District Council.

Councillor Bianca Donald said the episode did "not cover us in glory".

A report to full council on 23 April said the local authority borrowed refuse lorries and staff from neighbouring Braintree District Council, which alone cost £68,000.

Officers concluded there was a "significant failing" of management, with the unplanned and immediate departure of the operator's licence holder, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The report added: "This failure to ensure a timely replacement was due to human error and happened in the complex context of mitigating factors."

Ms Donald, part of the Residents for Uttlesford independents and chairwoman of the operational resilience task and finish group, said the council was identifying where else there was risk of failures in the future.

She said the council's response to the fiasco was "very good" and concluded: "From this disappointing situation we should as a body come through stronger and with a more robust system in place."

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