An MP has attacked Haringey Borough Council for not fining its waste contractor despite complaints from the public about their performance.
Lynne Featherstone, the MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, said the fact the authority has failed to act against Veolia despite numerous criticisms showed it was “out of touch”.
Complaints have ranged from unpredictable and patchy collections, difficulties with bin sizes, mess being left behind after collections and a poor follow-up service after complaints.
The Liberal Democrat politician said the issues have been common since fortnightly bin collections were introduced to the borough more than a year ago.
Ms Featherstone said: “Disabled residents have been unable to get out of their driveways due to misplaced bins and built-up rubbish and some residents have had to deal with maggots and rat infestations.
She added: “To discover that the Labour-run Council hasn’t even bothered fining their waste contractors Veolia for poor performance really shows how out of touch they are with what’s happening on our streets.
“It is simply unacceptable. We pay one of the highest rates of council tax in London - and we deserve better.”
The council’s contract “provides for financial deductions to be made if targets are not met” by Veolia but the authority has admitted “there have been no deductions to date”.
The MP Hornsey and Wood Green has contacted the council to ask whether it planned to hold the waste collection company to account.
A spokesman for the council said it always looking at ways to improve the service.
He said: “We take all complaints seriously and work with Veolia to address issues.
“A range of performance targets – including collections, resident satisfaction and complaints handling – are included in Veolia’s contract with the council, and will result in deductions if targets are not met.
“Together with Veolia, we are constantly exploring ways in which we can continue to improve our service.
“We ask that residents who are experiencing issues register these with Veolia’s customer contact centre so that there is a record of their feedback and their complaint can be dealt with appropriately.”
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