Drop in number of missed bin collections in Harrogate districtCouncil to review waste collections in Harrogate after increase in missed binsLarge increase in missed bin collections in Harrogate districtBin collection days to change in Harrogate district‘Teething issues’ to blame for more missed Harrogate bin collections, says council

North Yorkshire Council has blamed “teething issues” for an increase in missed bin collections in the Harrogate district.

Latest figures from the council show there were 1,579 missed collections in the first quarter of the year. The number is an increase on 1,535 in the same period last year.

Council officials said part of the reason for the missed collections, most of which were for garden waste, was due to a “route optimisation process” carried out by Harrogate Borough Council, which was abolished on April 1.

This included changing routes and removing one lorry from the rounds.

However, Michael Leah, North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director of environmental services, described the process as an “overall positive”.

He said:

“I am pleased of the level of waste collection services provided across the county. For the Harrogate area, the optimisation of the garden waste collection service has been positive overall for the council, both in terms of efficiency and reduction in its carbon footprint.

“We noted some ‘teething issues’ from this work with a slightly higher rate of missed garden waste bins during the first quarter of the year. We are already well ahead with resolving any issues arising from that work.”

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It comes as Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors raised concern over missed collections after it was claimed just 129 bins were missed across the county in the first 100 days of the new council.

Cllr Hannah Gostlow, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough East, raised the issue at a full council meeting in July when she challenged council leader, Carl Les, over the accuracy of the authority’s figures.

She said:

“Talking with my colleagues across the former Harrogate borough and hearing from my own residents, I understand that there has been a much higher than normal missed general, garden and recycling waste bins.

“Unfortunately it also includes assisted bin collections.”

Cllr Les apologised for the inaccuracy and later sent the correct figures to Cllr Gostlow.

Council leader apologises for saying only 129 bin collections missed

The leader of North Yorkshire Council has apologised after incorrectly stating just 129 bin collections were missed in the first 100 days of the new authority.

North Yorkshire Council took over responsibility for waste collections from the seven former district councils, including Harrogate, on April 1.

Cllr Carl Les, the Conservative leader of the council, said today that out of 5.6 million collections across the county since April 1, just 129 were missed in that time.

He said:

“We hope that there will be even fewer missed bins as we move forward as even one missed bin collection is important to that household.”

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However, Cllr Hannah Gostlow, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough East, questioned the accuracy of the figure at today’s meeting.

Cllr Gostlow said:

“Talking with my colleagues across the former Harrogate borough and hearing from my own residents, I understand that there has been a much higher than normal missed general, garden and recycling waste bins.

“Unfortunately it also includes assisted bin collections.”

Cllr Les apologised when it was established the figure was wrong, but added he was unable to provide Cllr Gostlow with the correct figure today.

He added that the information in his statement today was given in “good faith”.

Cllr Les said:

“I will establish that figure in due course. I will send you a written answer and circulate it to all members together with the verified figures.

“As I am wrong, I apologise.”

Changes to Harrogate district bin collections for Queen’s funeral

Changes to bin collections across the Harrogate district have been confirmed for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

Harrogate Borough Council has announced that all collections will take place a day later than usual from the day of the funeral which is being marked with a bank holiday on Monday 19 September.

This will affect garden waste, refuse and recycling collections, and all household waste recycling centres will also close on Monday.

The date changes for bin collections are as follows:

Normal collections will then resume on Monday 26 September.

Meanwhile, all council-run leisure centres in the Harrogate district will also close on Monday “to allow the team to pay their respects to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” the council said.

Customer services for both the borough council and North Yorkshire County Council will also be unavailable on this day when Harrogate’s Civic Centre will close.

Anyone who needs to get in touch with the borough council in an emergency should call 01423 556300.

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Staff absences force Harrogate council to delay bin collections

Harrogate Borough Council has warned residents that some waste collections will be delayed this week due to staff absences.

The council tweeted this afternoon that refuse, recycling and garden waste pick-ups will be delayed through the week but it hopes to have outstanding collections caught up by 5pm on Saturday.

It is not the first time waste and recycling collections have been disrupted in recent months.  In June, an outbreak of covid among staff working for HBC caused delays.

Last month, Cllr Richard Cooper, the Conservative leader of HBC, said people should not expect public services such as bin collections to be “immune” to the same disruptions seen in the private sector brought on by the NHS covid app “pinging” people.

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Due to a number of staff absences, some garden waste, refuse and recycling collections may be delayed this week.

If your street isn’t collected as normal, you don’t need to worry about reporting it to us… [1/2]

— Harrogate Borough Council (@Harrogatebc) August 3, 2021