Waste collection to be discussed at full council meeting after issues persist

THE Operations Committee of Antrim and Newtownabbey Council has been told that recycling figures for the first week of November 2025 are up 20 per cent on the same time last year, before the rollout of the waste harmonisation programme was completed.

However DUP Ballyclare Councillor Jeannie Archibald-Brown, seconded by Airport Sinn Fein Councillor Anne Marie Logue, proposed that any discussion on the harmonisation of waste collection across the borough be deferred to the next full monthly meeting of council, with a further discussion on contractual issues ‘in confidence’.

Reps told senior council staff that there are still big issues with missed collections and those in the legacy Antrim end of the borough say that they have seen no improvement to the situation.

The roll-out of the new three-tier recycling boxes and smaller 180ltr black bins, bringing the legacy Antrim area into line with Newtownabbey, began in September. Blue bins and the old black bins were removed.

Conversely, neighbouring Mid and East Antrim, blue bins are being brought back and kerbside boxes are being scrapped. The system has been in operation in Newtownabbey since 2016, covering 37,000 households.

Last week, elected members were assured that the council is contract managing on a ‘daily, hourly basis’.

In an update to members, Lynsey Daly, Head of Waste Strategy and Sustainability said she was ‘starting off with some good news’, adding that the complete roll out of the new wheelie boxes and smaller black bins had been completed within the 11 week period, and that there was extra budget available, which would allow for the ‘communications plan’ to continue into the New Year.

She said that the plan was ongoing, with the use of influencers showing how the new containers were used, and council officers conduction educational talks in schools, community groups, housing associations and folds.

She said that officers were distributing information about assisted lifts, additional help and schedule changes. Ms Daly said that the problems with the bin checker and chatbot functions on the council website had been resolved with the software developers and that missed colllections were being mopped up through the use of overtime and weekend working.

She also reported an increase of 6000 tonnes of recycling in the first week of November compared to the same time last year, a 20 per cent increase before the scheme was fully rolled out.

She said that while she could not discuss contractual matters and commercial sensitivities in the open chamber, council was contract managing on a ‘daily, hourly basis’ with Bryson Recycling.

Ms Daly admitted there were still issues with the service and collection of containers, compounded by continuing sickness and absence of contractor staff.

She said that there had also been complaints about different crews leaving containers back in different ways.

“We are aware that despite the success of the roll-out, there have been issues with service across the borough with wheelie boxes and containers.

“This is down to staff absenteeism which is still continuing.” she said, rather than the implementation of the new scheme

On the issue of reporting problems, she said: “We need as much information as possible, please continue to report these issues.”

Jeannie Archibald-Brown proposed to defer the item to full council, adding:

“There are far wider issue than just the harmonisation process”.

She said that she appreciated that the operational details on the contract needed to be discussed in confidence, but added that full council, rather than just one committee, needed more information a contingency plan going forward.

Independent Councillor Stafford Ward said that there was ‘a major problem’, with up to 400 bins in his area not being emptied, some for up to three weeks.

He said he had been inundated with complains, and that his wife had been ‘abused’ when out shopping.

“She does not deserve that, I don’t need to take that from anybody.” he said.

He added that the public were venting their frustrations on councillors, rather than senior staff.

Alliance councillor Andrew McAuley congratulated the council on delivering the roll-out on time and asked if staff were still receiving the same amount of complaints.

He said that he appreciated the comments about contract management and staff sickness, and asked if the council could help provide an additional service, even on a temporary basis.

“There are still quite significant things with staffing to deal with.” he added.

He asked whether the council has considered staff sickness and how the service can be maintained.

Councillor McAuley also said that his previous suggestions about real-time automated information being provided to collectors in vehicles and improved communications ‘would make a lot of the problems go away’.

Ms Daly said that there were 16 vehicles, and real-time information, ‘per crew, per route, per vehicle’ was being rolled out.

Anne-Marie Logue seconded Councillor Archibald-Brown's proposal, adding: “It’s too serious to keep going on the way we are.”

“There has been a colossal amount of complaints, the frustration among residents is palpable and we are at the receiving end of it.”

“I can’t see a quick fix, it is the customer at the end of the day that is really frustrated with the service we are providing. It’s not great PR for the council, which has always been really good on refuse.”

She fumed that collections in Crumlin on Thursdays are ‘an absolute disaster’.

Ms Daly said that ‘some areas are working perfectly’ and problems were arising when there was sickness within crews in areas like Crumlin, and non-established staff were coming to different areas and were not aware of issues like where bins needed to be collected and replaced.

She said that regular crews would know about assisted lifts and small cul-de-sacs, whereas new or relief staff would not.

Dunsilly DUP rep Linda Clark said: “I think it needs to come back to full council. There are far too many issues.

“Our ratepayers are suffering and are not getting the full service they deserve.”

Antrim Town Alliance Councillor Neil Kelly said there were still issues around the contract, and he ‘gets’ a lot of the frustration, adding that his own bins had been missed.

“The frustration is justified.

“Some pockets in Antrim have not been done in a couple of weeks.

“We are paying the contractor a lot of money to do one thing, empty the bins. It is still a big issue. I don’t see much improvement in Antrim.

“They need to empty the bins on the day they say they will be emptied.

“It’s not rocket science. They need to do the job they’re being paid for.”

Ulster Unionist Councillor Robert Foster added: “I am quite relieved to hear it is being contract managed. I do see a bit of an improvement in my own area. Other areas are getting worse.

“We have to look at the positives.

“The issues are there and they can be discussed at full council.

“I am delighted to hear we are 20 per cent up in our recycling. We have had problems. I have no doubt our teams will manage them. I am delighted to see after eight weeks’ turnaround, we are 20 per cent up and not having had everything rolled out.

“It is not an easy challenge listening to us bleating on but I have every confidence we will get to a position where we have been.

“I was a proponent of the scheme in Newtownabbey, it was always a fantastic service.”

Eamon McLaughlin of Sinn Fein said that he’d heard of crews not being able to get into streets because of the way vehicles were being parked, which was recurring and having a knock-on effect.

Ms Daly replied that parking was causing ‘a lot of issues’.

“They are council vehicles and crews are not taking the risk to go in” she said.

“They call back at least once and sometimes two or three times a day, when they don’t have to.”

She said that the council had been working with the contractor and Neighborhood Policing, with the aim of speaking to householders in problem areas and potentially deliver letters to residents so that cars can be parked elsewhere on collection days.