ONGOING issues with bin collections in Basingstoke and Deane are leaving homeowners with overflowing bins, according to residents.

People leaving in Winchester Road, near Bounty Road, have said that since Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council changed the contractors it uses for bin collections the service has been “rubbish."

As previously reported, the borough council entered into a new £44 million contract with Serco in October last year.

However, since the change, residents in Winchester Road have said they have had missed collections on a regular basis.

One resident, Samantha Hussey, said due to missed collections rubbish in the area has been “piling up.”

She said: “Under the old contract, we used to leave the bins out the front of the property and they were collected no problem.

“Now, they are collected at the back, so it means we have to drag the rubbish through our house and leave it in the back alley. But if the waste isn’t collected, there are black bags piled high for days.

“We’ve had foxes get into the rubbish so then it is strewn across the street and our cats even got in one bag and nearly choked on a chicken bone.

“It’s disgusting.”

Samantha added that the issue seems to change week-to-week, as when the bins are collected can be sporadic.

Other residents have said that they have had black bags refused to be collected if they are not in a bin.

Another resident, who did not wish to be named, added: “If our bins aren't collected, what are we meant to do with the black bags?

"The whole thing is absolute rubbish.”

The borough council said that it is looking into how to improve the service around the Winchester Road area.

Cabinet member for regulatory services and the environment at the council, Councillor Hayley Eachus, said: “There have been issues with waste collections in a small part of Winchester Road.

"Following feedback from local residents, we changed the collection location in this area.

“Despite this change, crews are still experiencing issues accessing properties to collect their waste and we have been looking at ways to resolve this. We will be writing to residents that have been affected to provide them with an alternative solution which will allow crews to collect the rubbish and recycling.”