A WASTE collection service has come under more scrutiny, with councillors branding it a “car crash”.

Harwich Town councillors hit out over the rollout of the new waste service across the district at its full council meeting on Tuesday night.

During the meeting, councillors called for Tendring Council’s environment boss Michael Talbot to attend a meeting with them to address the problem.

Their anger comes after Mr Talbot sent the council a letter on October 7 stating the new collection system was the “greatest change in Tendring for its 69,000 plus properties since April 1, 1974” when many towns and villages in the district came together to form Tendring Council.

Bill Davidson, Harwich councillor, said in the meeting: “He says the same things over and over again and it’s just a joke.”

Councillor Jo Henderson said: “I am quite offended by his letter because it’s not being very respectful to our council.

“Week in week out there are the same issues.”

The rollout began in June and saw tens of thousands of wheelie bins delivered across the district as the council switched many homes to a fortnightly collection service. Earlier this month residents were told told to leave missed rubbish out for up to three extra days following “teething problems” with collections.

Maria Fowler, Tendring Council’s shadow cabinet member for environment, said the knock of effect of the service and mess around the town is clear.

She said: “We are all upset and angry.

“When I read the letter I thought it was appalling.”

Harwich councillor Pam Morrison said: “It’s the same car crash pretty much everywhere.

“There has to be a way around this and they have got to come up with a solution.”

The council agreed to invite Mr Talbot to a meeting and write him a letter

asking him for a response

to their questions on the issue.

Mr Talbot said the scheme will be examined in November by Tendring Council officers.

He said: “A committee will be considering the whole rollout to see if it is

going well and to see what the contractor has been doing.

“I am still resting on the fact we have another couple of months to make sure all is ironed out with the service.”