Refuse collectors could be sacked

REFUSE collectors may find themselves on the scrap heap after complaints about late collections.

Onyx has been collecting rubbish from 63,750 homes in the Wycombe District since 1996.

But this week the company was been warned to improve its service or risk losing its contract.

Wycombe District Council has revealed that soon after the rounds were reorganised in March, it was receiving about 800 complaints a week.

By last week the figure had dropped to 250, however, and this week there were fewer still.

But Councillor Derek Done (Lib Dem, Marlow South), chairman of the planning, environment and transportation committee, told a council meeting on Monday: "We're still not at all happy with the contract."

He said a meeting was being held with Onyx management to warn them it was "crunch time".

Cllr David Cox (Con, Hazlemere East) added: "Councillors and officers are getting a steady stream of complaints about Onyx's service."

Onyx explained that it had rescheduled collection days in March ready for new vehicles capable of better handling of wheely bins and it hoped to have the vehicles on the road in June.

The company said the situation had been made worse because some of the leaflets giving details of new collection dates were not delivered.

Steve Bolton, Onyx contract manager, said this week: "Reorganisation in general otherwise has not gone too badly and is still an ongoing process, but the number of bank holidays following the reschedules has caused a certain amount of confusion.

"The company has put in vast amounts of money and resources to rectify the problem, including vehicles, staff and additional manpower."

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