Basildon Council apologise for six-month black bin delay

Mr Markey, 70, says Basildon Council failed to get a black bin delivered to his address in Billericay despite his repeated requests.

It came after sacks were replaced with wheelie bins and fortnightly collections introduced back in December. Mr Markey waited for four weeks after initially asking the council on its website.

Waste - the rubbish in Paul's garden after being savaged by foxes (Image: Paul Markey)

He says he was forced into making visits to the tip in Pitsea after massive piles of rubbish began building up in his back garden.

Basildon Council has now apologised to Mr Markey for the processing delays and says he will have a new bin delivered on Thursday, putting an end to a six-month saga.

Mr Markey also criticised the lack of communication on the status of the request and the difficulty using the council’s website.

He said: “The new black bins came in around the end of last year and ever since then I have had this problem.

“My bin was never delivered and I had tried to put my normal black sacks out three times for collection before being told by one of the bin men what the issue was, I then filled out the online form and found there was no option for my issue.

“After that, I was left and simply never got one, I waited three or four weeks and have been to the tip at Pitsea numerous times for the bags.

“Everything began to pile up and I kept requesting a new bin, I also asked councillors, but they have been busy canvassing.”

Mr Markey added that the council is “so strapped for cash and is so under pressure” it has given rise to issues like his, and that “things just do not get funded”.

“The bin guys are all really good, but with a lot of things the soldiers are fine but the generals are the issue,” he said.

A spokesman for the council said: “Basildon Council apologise for the delay in processing the request for a new black bin.”