DUP councillors have called for a new waste management strategy in Belfast due to frustrations over repeated missed bin collections.
Councillor George Dorrian, who leads the DUP group at Belfast City Council said that they had written to the Chief Executive calling for the creation of a Waste Management Committee in order to find solutions to ongoing issues around waste collections.
Speaking to Belfast Live, he said that missed bin collections and the problems that arise from these are the main issues that residents have contacted him about over the past few months. He believes that some changes to the way that bins are collected could make a big difference.
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He highlighted the area of Connsbrooke Road in Sydenham where there have been a number of problems with missed bin collections due to the vehicles not being able to go down the street and felt that the use of smaller vehicles in some areas could make the system more efficient.
Councillor Dorrian said: "This is not just a problem in East Belfast, but the whole of the city and there are a number of areas where the narrow streets and terraced houses make it difficult for bin lorries to get down them.
"Some small changes to the way we collect our bins could have a huge impact, which is why the DUP group have written to the council chief executive calling for a new strategy to be implemented and the creation of a Waste Management Committee to focus solely on the matter until it is resolved."
The letter to Belfast City Council Chief Executive John Walsh said: "We are writing to you to express our complete frustration at the ongoing problems surrounding domestic waste collection in the city. On a daily basis we are receiving lists of missed collections, many are repeated week-after-week but there is little evidence of solutions being developed.
"We are now learning from residents that it is taking considerably longer for follow up collections, which is leading to knock on problems with bins being left on pavements, alleys etc.
"We ask that council officers bring forward as a matter of urgency a new costed Belfast waste management strategy, focused on dealing with long running issues relating to missed collections and poor communication with residents.
"It should contain both short and long term solutions and we firmly believe that many of the actions needed to rectify the situation are not costly but rather would involve a better use of existing resources and developing new ways of working.
"Given that we believe we have reached a critical situation, the DUP propose that a new standalone Waste Management Committee be established to oversee change. Sticking plaster solutions are failing residents and the problem has been on an upward trajectory for many months.
"This is no longer acceptable and with the end of the term forthcoming, we believe there is an opportunity to give officers the time to consider real solutions and bring them forward immediately at the start of the new term to the newly created committee.
"Furthermore, as you are aware there was considerable discussion recently regarding adding domestic glass recycling to the collection cycle. We have consulted with the industry and believe that alternative solutions should be considered first, and no additional collection services should be considered at all until current issues are satisfactorily addressed.
"We look forward to engaging further with you on this matter. "
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