FRUSTRATED householders are becoming increasingly angry at the lack of action by Bexley Council over failures in its new rubbish collection.

News Shopper has been inundated with calls and emails from residents across the borough, some of whom have waited up to five weeks to have their bins emptied.

The problems have been made worse by the council workers' strike on July 16 and 17.

In March, Bexley began rolling out its new rubbish collection system, designed to encourage people to recycle more and limit the council's costs in sending rubbish to landfill sites.

The new system provide shouseholders with a new green wheelie bin for their non-recyclable rubbish to be emptied fortnightly, and weekly collections for all their paper, plastics, cans and glass and compostable waste.

Residents were told they would get two "yellow cards" on their bins if they were found to be doing it wrong.

Instead, many claim their rubbish has just been left uncollected.

Construction manager Paul Melvin, 37, of Marden Crescent, Bexley, says he has asked for recycling boxes but has been told there are none in stock and he will have to wait four to six weeks.

He said: "My bin is full and because there are now black plastic sacks of rubbish as well, the binmen won't take the rubbish which is now crawling with maggots."

Like many others, he was promised his bins would be emptied within 48 hours, only to be let down.

Rita Guia, 38, an office administrator of Hawthorn Place, Erith, is another angry resident whose bins have not been emptied for three weeks.

She said: "I have had to put the extra rubbish in bin bags because the bin is full, and now the binmen will not take the rubbish at all.

"I was promised on July 21 my rubbish would be collected within 48 hours, but no-one has turned up."

Cabinet member for the environment Councillor Gareth Bacon has admitted there are teething problems and, because the crews have been reorganised, some collections have been missed.

A council spokesman said: "There has been a huge demand for recycling boxes and compost bins.

"We are working hard to meet this demand on top of the roll-out of the new green wheeled bins for refuse.

"Residents can call 020 8303 7777 with their concerns."

Meanwhile, the council is to investigate why bags of rubbish are being dumped in the street outside the home of Ingrid Smith in Lensbury Way, Thamesmead.

She says everything from household rubbish to glass and bricks is being left by neighbouring residents.