Adur and Worthing residents call for weekly food collections amid maggot infestations

Adur and Worthing residents would like weekly food waste collections after many battled maggots and pests this summer, a survey has revealed.
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Labour councillors surveyed 1,815 residents, asking for opinions on fortnightly refuse and recycling collections during the winter and summer.

The online survey found 80 per cent of responders wanted weekly waste collections, particularly during the summer, after seeing flies, maggots and smells build up in the heat.

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Just over half of people surveyed rated the refuse service as ‘poor’ during the summer months, but only 18 per cent were dissatisfied with winter collections.

Councillor Catherine Arnold with her maggot-filled bin SUS-200709-175713001Councillor Catherine Arnold with her maggot-filled bin SUS-200709-175713001
Councillor Catherine Arnold with her maggot-filled bin SUS-200709-175713001

The party’s survey collected hundreds of quotes from residents and pests were a central issue.

Adur councillor Catherine Arnold said: “Labour councillors warned in 2018 that there would be a summer public health issue regarding refuse. Tenants have been told repeatedly they have enough bin capacity, when we’ve seen clearly, they haven’t.

“Just 12 councillors on both Adur and Worthing Councils’ executive made this decision, failing to consult residents or other councillors. Therefore, we did the consultation that the executive didn’t deem necessary and the residents resoundingly told us that reduction to fortnightly refuse without regular food waste was a travesty.”

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She urged Adur and Worthing council to tell West Sussex County Council that a food waste collection is essential. If it continued to fall on ‘deaf ears’, she said, the council must consider investing on a more local level.

A spokesman for Adur and Worthing Councils said: “We moved to alternate weekly waste and recycling collections in September 2019 following the lead of 75 per cent of other UK councils.

“Initial figures show this has supported a large increase in the amount of materials collected for recycling while reducing general waste by hundreds of lorry loads a year.

“Our area-wide recycling levels are now at more than 42 per cent, a rise of six percentage points in 12 months which we’re sure the majority of householders welcome.

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“We want to thank residents for playing their part and also praise our waste and recycling crews who have continued to provide an excellent service despite the challenges of Covid, lockdown and an extremely warm summer.

“Adur and Worthing Councils remain committed to protecting and enhancing our environment where we can so we will continue to monitor ways we can improve the service moving forward.”