Anger rises over unemptied bins

Local councils have been accused of complacency over rubbish collection, amid growing public anger that bins in some areas have not been emptied for four weeks.

Local government minister Bob Neill wrote to all English council leaders to tell them that taxpayers regard regular bin collection as "one of the most basic services" they provide and will not accept it being allowed to slide over holiday periods.

Piles of refuse sacks in the streets are "potentially unhealthy", warned Mr Neill. And he said that taxpayers told to store uncollected rubbish in their homes were right to wonder whether their council sees emptying the bins as "a favour, not a right".

The minister also criticised the leader of Labour-run Exeter City Council Pete Edwards for saying he did not see the issue as "a major problem", insisting: "The public deserve better."

Heavy snowfall which prevented collections ahead of the Christmas and New Year period has been blamed for the backlog of rubbish in some council areas including Birmingham, Merseyside, north London and Exeter, at a time when bins are traditionally heavily-laden with wrapping paper and food leftovers.

Some areas saw council staff working over the New Year weekend, including Bank Holiday Monday, to make inroads into the problem.

Mr Neill said he recognised that the severe weather, combined with festive holidays, created "a major headache" for many councils and paid tribute to those binmen who braved the cold and ice to complete their rounds.

He called on councils to show a "can-do approach" to emptying bins and said they would be "wise" to explain to residents what action they are taking to deal with the Christmas bin backlog.