There has been criticism of the Christmas and New Year bin collections in Belfast with the council slammed for a lack of communication to residents.
It comes as one councillor suggested returning to using stickers on bins to share the collection dates.
At a Belfast City Council committee meeting this week, Sinn Féin Councillor Micheal Donnelly found fault with the seasonal service and suggested improvements for future holiday periods.
It followed a large raft of complaints across the city from residents reportedly missing the collection dates.
At the council’s People and Communities Committee meeting on Tuesday, Councillor Donnelly said: “It is just a quick observation on the Christmas period – a high proportion of calls I got, as did my colleagues and I am sure those from other parties – were around the bin collection.
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“People didn’t know their bins had to be out on a certain day.
“We use (the council magazine) City Matters and other platforms, but it doesn’t seem to get the message across. Years ago council bins used to have a sticker put on them to state the collection dates over the Christmas period. I think we should revisit that, or look at it.
“We should know what our plan is for bin collection into 2026. We usually have a plan around October time. We should do that earlier, and know well in advance when the collection falls.”
He said: “Not everyone is online, not everyone reads City Matters, and it is the councillors who get the phone calls.”
A council officer said at the committee meeting: “That is a fair point. We were disappointed in the presentation rate, so clearly the message didn’t get through. So I am happy to take a look at the stickers.”
DUP Councillor Sarah Bunting said: “Could we add on those stickers for residents to leave bins presented until they are collected? I have had a number of people who had their blue recycling bins out on the street too long and brought them in, when some collections were delayed.
“They have come to me and said other people had theirs collected but mine weren’t, why? People don’t like leaving them on the street, especially if the weather is bad with wind.”
Council officers will return to the committee with further plans for the service.
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