Waste collectors given 'significant' fines

A waste company employed to improve recycling rates was hit with "significant" fines after rubbish went uncollected, it has emerged.

The £82m contract for Kier to operate the service across Bridgend was described as causing "chaos" when it launched in June 2017.

Changes saw nappies and food bins sitting on kerbsides for weeks.

The council said the service has improved dramatically and now has one of the best recycling rates in Wales.

As part of the new deal households were limited to two rubbish bags per fortnight, given different-coloured sacks for cardboard, paper and plastics as well as caddies for glass and food waste and purple bags for nappies.

Speaking at the overview and scrutiny committee meeting on Monday, cabinet member for communities Richard Young said there had been "a degree of extreme criticism" at the start of the contract but there was "no doubt" the service had improved.

He said: "The start was unfortunate, we worked through it and it has taken the cooperation of Kier, officers and councillors."

Communities director Mark Shephard confirmed Kier has been fined a "significant" amount for failing to meet contractual targets.

Officials refused to disclose the size of the fine but did reveal the penalties were based on a points system for missed or delayed collections.

Kier amassed 425,000 penalty points in the first year. That has now dropped to about 9,000 a month - and is decreasing, the council says.

Despite the initial teething problems, the authority's annual recycling rate has soared from 58% in 2016-17 to 68.5% for 2017-18.

It has gone from being the second worst local authority in Wales for recycling to being the second best in under a year.

Kier regional manager Maz Akhtar said his team had "delivered significant improvements and continue to do so".