Widowed pensioner bemoans Bexley Council's brown bin 'fiasco' after frustrating wait

Brenda Reed, 70, claims she has been without a garden waste bin for over a month, despite signing up to the scheme in June.

Bexley Council still provide free brown bins for food waste, but garden waste is now a chargeable service which residents have to opt into.

The County Gate resident told News Shopper she is "angry and frustrated" by the wait, and questioned why previous bins were taken away if not to be replaced immediately.

Ms Reed said: "They are taking people for fools, they are taking their money.

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"I cannot get these things to the tip on my own, I am a pensioner.

"It's disgusting, they take your money and run.

"I lost my husband last year. Do they not think we have got enough to put up with without their stupidity?"

The garden waste scheme, introduced on September 1, costs £33-a-year and was dubbed a "bin tax" by Labour councillors at this year’s budget meeting.

Ms Reed added: "My neighbours have got their brown bins, why haven't I got mine?

"I have got a garden that needs sorting out.

"I would have so much rubbish by the time I do my trees and everything.

"I should have got my bin in the middle of September. I think they are just fobbing me off."

Ms Reed's anger was heightened by a five-day wait to complain to Bexley Council over the phone.

When she finally got through, a council officer was unable to tell Ms Reed when her bin would arrive.

Ms Reed added: "I can't keep ringing up when it takes you five days to get through to these people.

"Now you have got to pay for it and they are giving you nothing in return, not even co-operation.

"It really isn't fair."

A Bexley Council spokesman said: "Ms Reed should have received her new bin by September 25.

"We have contacted our contractor to arrange for Brenda Reed's bin to be delivered as soon as possible.

"We apologise for the delay. She will not be charged for year two of the service until November 2016."