Lynne Featherstone MP expressed her shock today, as she revealed that Haringey Council has never fined waste contractor Veolia for poor performance.

Complaints about the rubbish collection service in the borough – which range from unpredictable and patchy collections, difficulties with bin sizes, mess being left behind after collections and a poor follow up service when complaints are made – have been common since the Labour-run Council introduced fortnightly collections two years ago.

The Liberal Democrat MP received a spike of complaints from residents over summer, expressing further dissatisfaction with local rubbish collections. Lack of collections meant rotting piles of stinking rubbish were building up across the borough.

The complaints, documented in local press and on twitter, led the Hornsey and Wood Green MP to contact the Council and ask whether there was any plan to hold waste contractors Veolia to account for poor performance.

Haringey Council confirmed that the contract ‘provides for financial deductions to be made if targets are not met’ – but also admitted that ‘there have been no deductions to date.’

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“Many residents have serious complaints. Disabled residents have been unable to get out of their driveways due to misplaced bins and built up rubbish. Some residents have had to deal with maggots and rat infestations. This has been going on for two years, and enough is enough.

“To discover that the Labour-run Council hasn’t even bothered fining their waste contractors Veolia for poor performance really shows how out of touch they are with what’s happening on our streets.

“It is simply unacceptable. We pay one of the highest rates of Council tax in London – and we deserve better.”