‘Disaster For Residents’

SOUTHEND Green Party is calling out Southend City Council over what it says is the: “mishandled roll-out of wheelie bins in Leigh Ward”, branding the scheme “a disaster for residents.”

Green Party Coun Richard Longstaff said: “the Council has ignored residents, broken promises, and risks undermining its own ‘Green and Clean’ objectives with a scheme that is already unfit for purpose.”

He added: “Residents are in despair and feel ignored. We were promised proper consultation and individual assessments before bins were allocated. Instead, we’ve seen a one-size-fits-all approach that simply doesn’t work.”

The Greens have highlighted what they say are ‘multiple failures in the roll-out,’ including: No proper consultation – Residents have had little to no say in how bins are being introduced: Flawed bin sizing – Black residual waste bins are the same size as recycling bins, despite households producing far more recycling than residual waste: Flats overlooked – In some cases, up to nine bins have been dumped in tiny front gardens or in other residents’ property, despite earlier assurances that flats would be treated differently.

Coun Longstaff said: “This scheme risks penalising those who recycle diligently, while doing nothing to tackle residual waste.

“Far from boosting recycling rates, it is likely to send them backwards. That completely contradicts the Council’s own environmental commitments.”

In March, Coun Longstaff joined Council officers and waste contractor SUEZ on a walkabout in Leigh Ward, including a meeting with flat residents to discuss more suitable solutions.

Despite those discussions, he says, many of the assurances made at the time have not been honoured.

The Greens are now demanding urgent action, including: A pause and full review of the roll-out: Genuine consultation with residents: A reassessment of bin allocations based on evidence of household needs.

“This whole process has been spun as progress, but residents can see through it.

“The Council must stop ignoring local people and get this right. Southend deserves a waste and recycling strategy that actually works,” said Coun Longstaff.

Editor’s note: Having posted an initial version of this story on our website (https://leigh-on-sea.news), Coun Lydia Hyde, Labour & Co-Operative Councillor for St Laurence Ward and Southend City Council Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment, and Waste, emailed us, primarily, to complain that, in her view, the story was misleading and that she should have had the opportunity to respond to the points made by the local Green Party.

In an effort to remedy this challenge the story was removed from our website and she was offered the opportunity to respond.

Coun Hyde did so with the following: “Labour Councillors Working Hard to Fix the Bin Situation – Despite Tory Failures and Green Party Misrepresentation.

“Residents across Southend – from Leigh to Shoeburyness – know how important waste collection is to the cleanliness and appearance of our city.  We know that the introduction of wheelie bins has caused frustration for some households – and residents deserve a clear explanation of how we got here and what I am doing as your portfolio holder to put it right.

“How We Got Here

“Let me start by repeating what we have said since the administration formed on May 20th 2024: Labour are not responsible for creating this mess, but it is now our responsibility to clean it up.

“The story begins back in 2015, when the then Independent-led council signed a 15-year contract with Veolia, due to run until 2031. In 2018, however, Cllr Cox – then a Conservative – agreed to shorten that contract so it would end in 2023.

“In 2021, Veolia proposed moving to fortnightly bin collections and extending the contract back to 2031.  The then Labour-led administration considered this offer, with council officers recommending to accept Veolia’s offer, but instead the councillors determined that it was better to agree “Option B” – to continue weekly sack collections until October 2023 while opening a competitive dialogue with providers where contractors were required to submit prices for weekly collections and alternatives.

“At this point, the Conservatives launched a political campaign to “save weekly bin collections” – a campaign filled with spin and lies that ultimately saw them take control of the council in May 2023.

“Once they had taken control they could have kept their promise.  They didn’t.  In August 2023, they removed the requirement to provide weekly prices and on October 31st 2023, under Cllr Cox’s leadership, the Conservative cabinet approved fortnightly collections and removed £250,000 from the parks budget at the same meeting – this is shown on Page 15 of the publicly available cabinet papers.

“In January 2024, they forced through the “Wheeled Bin Suitability Criteria” – despite serious concerns raised by me as the Shadow Portfolio Holder and other opposition councillors about lack of detail, impact on vulnerable residents, and unclear appeals processes.  The protestations I made are a matter of public record in the printed minutes.

“By March 2024, the Tories had gone to procurement, locking in wheeled bins and leaving no flexibility to adapt.

“By May 2024, when Labour took over in coalition, the process was too far advanced to cancel without leaving Southend with no waste service at all. The old contract could not be extended further, and the collection vehicles were at the end of their usable life.

“At a time when clarity is essential, it is disappointing to read misleading claims from the local Green Party – especially from Cllr Longstaff – when we have worked so hard to improve the terrible hand we inherited.

“What residents may not realise is that Cllr Longstaff fully supported the move to wheelie bins at the time. He did not join our calls for a public consultation in October 2023, supported the Tories on the bin suitability criteria in January 2024, and failed to attend the briefings provided to councillors during rollout. In fact, he only raised objections six weeks into the ten-week rollout – long after decisions had been made.  Cllr Longstaff claims his comments were brushed aside, but every concern he raised on his ward walkabout was incorporated.

“It is deeply unfair for the Greens to mislead residents now, while avoiding accountability for not taking a stand in the first place.

“What Labour is Doing Now

“Since May 2024, Labour has been working hard to fix the bad hand we inherited. We have:

“Pushed for clearer communication, including social media updates, press releases, and direct responses to residents.

“Made it easier for households to request a bin review or apply for a larger bin if needed.

“Listened to residents’ concerns and worked with SUEZ to adapt wherever possible within the constraints of the locked-in contract.

“Reviewed the bin audit line by line, increasing households staying on sacks from 1.8% to over 10%.

“This is not an easy situation – but the simple truth is that the Conservatives’ short-term decision-making left Southend with a waste system that is under strain, and politicians spreading half-truths does not help us to find solutions.

“Looking Ahead

“Southend residents deserve honesty and accountability. The Labour-led administration cannot undo the terrible decisions of the Tories, under the leadership of the councillor now leading Reform UK in Southend, but we are committed to working with residents to make this system function as well as possible.

“We understand the frustrations – we share them. But instead of political games, we are rolling up our sleeves to deliver practical improvements and ensure that Southend has a waste service that is reliable, fair, and sustainable.

“The Conservatives created this mess. Labour is focused on fixing the problem.”

Picture: Wheelie bins in Leigh.

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