Villager angry after being told to pay for damage to his council refuse bin
A villager is angry about being asked by Melton Borough Council to pay £57 for a replacement bin which he says was damaged by a refuse collection vehicle.
David Edwards, who lives at Stathern, was surprised to see the lid of his bin was broken after his rubbish was collected by a crew earlier this month.
And he was unhappy to be told by the council that he was liable to replace the bin because he could not provide evidence about how it happened.
Mr Edwards told the Melton Times: “My refuse bin was emptied on September 3.
"When I went to use it on September 7, I discovered the lid had been snapped, damage clearly consistent with the mechanical lifting equipment used by refuse collection vehicles.”
He says he contacted the council about the damaged bin at 1.13pm that same day and was told he would have to pay £57 for a replacement bin unless he could ‘provide video evidence proving the damage was caused by the refuse crew’.
Because the crew did not report the damage, said Mr Edwards, the council is accepting no responsibility for the incident.
"Residents are being told they must film refuse collections to protect themselves from damage caused by the council’s own contractor,” added Mr Edwards.
“The bin is council‑owned equipment, and the damage occurred while in the council’s possession.
"Yet the council’s response prioritises revenue over service, leaving residents to pay for damage they did not cause.”
The Melton Times has contacted Melton Borough Council for comment on this and is awaiting a response.