Sunderland Council agrees to meet residents over new bin collection plan after homes were told to leave bins at end of "unadopted" road

Households on Gertrude Road were left “angry” and “frustrated” after receiving letters from the local authority asking them to drag their bins to the southern end of the back lane for collection following a risk assessment.

The letter stated that refuse collection teams had reported “increasing difficulty” with servicing bins down the back lane due to it being “unmade” and “severely rutted”.

Works to rectify problems would need to be privately funded due to the lane being “unadopted” as the council has no responsibility to maintain it.

But now, after further consultation with ward councillors, Sunderland City Council has postponed the new collection changes and a meeting with residents is being organised to hear their concerns.

Resident Debbie Lewis Atwill said: “We are all going to attend the meeting to share our concerns but I’m not sure what is going to be done.

"It can’t go on like this, the new system is ridiculous – 23 bins at the end of the lane is an accident waiting to happen, it would be complete chaos. I just hope we can get something sorted.”

At the time, a risk assessment carried out by the Council found “no alternative given the risk to the operative’s safety and well-being”.

Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council and Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Claire Rowntree, said: “Unfortunately, this unadopted back lane has deteriorated so much that refuse collection teams and their vehicles cannot perform their duties safely.

“Collection teams had raised concerns about the lane and how it was becoming increasingly unsafe. The council had advised households that from the end of this month wheelie bins can no longer be collected from the back lane.

“Regrettably, the poor state of the lane with its deep ruts and pot holes also means that the council cannot offer an assisted service for wheelie bins.

“As a listening council, and as we have advised residents, we are open to further dialogue and discussions on how we resolve this issue.

“Following further consultation with ward councillors, the collection changes have been postponed. A meeting with residents is being organised to hear more on their concerns and hopefully agree an amicable way forward. All residents have received a letter advising them of this.”