'It needs urgent improvement': Council under fire as missed bin complaints mount
Increase in waste left out is partly to blame for missed bin collections
A major increase in the amount of waste left out by households is partly to blame for recent missed bin collections – according to Bradford Council.
The authority says that 1,600 additional tonnes of waste have been collected from homes across the District in recent months compared to the same period in 2025.
This increase has coincided with roadworks, traffic, vehicle breakdowns, poor parking on residential streets and staff sickness to create “additional pressure” on bin collections.
The council revealed these details in response to criticism from the Conservative Group over a service they say is “letting residents down.”
They have also urged Bradford’s new Reform leadership to re-open a tip that was shut down in 2024, and find replacements for closed tips in Ilkley and Queensbury that have since been sold by the Council.
In response to a number of missed bin collections in recent weeks, Councillor Rebecca Poulsen, leader of the Conservative Group, said: “Some of my Conservative Group colleagues and I are being regularly contacted by significant numbers of residents regarding problems with their waste collections.
“If it was a one off or infrequent incidents, we could explain this, and the reasons, to provide people with some reassurance. But the problem is becoming too regular and people are becoming weary of a wide range of explanations including, bins being too heavy, mechanical breakdown, illness, Eid and access problems.
“My colleagues and I do not think that it is unreasonable of residents to expect the council to have contingency measures in place to deal with all of these problems, none of them are unforeseeable.
“The waste service is letting residents down too often and needs urgent improvement.”
A Bradford Council spokesperson said: “We understand the frustration caused when a bin collection is missed and apologise to any residents affected.
“We complete millions of waste and recycling collections every year, with the vast majority collected on schedule.
“While a very small number of residents have reported missed bins, we recognise the inconvenience this causes and work hard to recover collections as quickly as possible.
“In recent months, the amount of waste and recycling presented by households has increased significantly, with over 1,600 additional tonnes collected compared to the same period last year.
“This increase, combined with factors such as roadworks, traffic, vehicle breakdowns, access issues and staff absence, has placed additional pressure on collection rounds.
“Our crews continue to work hard to maintain services, and we are taking steps to strengthen the service and improve resilience.
“Residents can also help by making full use of recycling services, avoiding putting additional side waste out for collection, wherever possible, and ensuring roads and collection points remain accessible.
“Incorrectly parked vehicles can prevent collection vehicles from reaching some streets and bins, leading to delays until access can be gained.
“We remain committed to providing a reliable waste and recycling service and will continue to monitor performance closely and make improvements where needed.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service has contacted Bradford Council to ask why officers believe there has been a rise in the amount of waste collected this year.