A council has apologised after a new bin collection schedule saw some residents missed.

Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council introduced the new system just 13 days ago but it had already left people disappointed.

At the time, residents were warned they could face up to a three-week delay while it came into action.

The service, by Urbaser, now allows for food waste, textiles, batteries and small electrical items to be picked up kerbside.

Residents also received food caddies and the chance to pay for additional garden waste collection.

But not everyone has welcomed the new changes.

Lewis Howard, of Ingram Close, Larkfield said he is still awaiting a food caddy and has not had his bins collected for three weeks.

The 28-year-old said: "It has been an absolute joke, we were expecting a bin collection on September 30, the first day of the new system and still nothing.

"I entered a missed bin day on their website and tweeted them.

"The next Monday came and we didn't have a collection, so I wrote to them on Twitter again and they responded saying there were on a street nearby but when I got home they still hadn't been collected."

The garage owner explained how he had tried to get hold of them a number of times and was on the phone for 35 minutes only to have it hang up.

He added: "They promised our bins would be collected this weekend, but they still haven't been. Yesterday they took recycling bin but not the green boxes.

"We have bins overflowing where they haven't taken them and at the moment we have to walk through 16 bins just to get to our cars.

"The cats have already been through them and it is only a matter of time until it starts attracting everything else.

"It has impacted the whole estate and it is just a nightmare.

"I have spoken to Tracey Crouch who said she was going to chase them about it because she has experienced the same thing."
A statement on the council's website says: "All kerbside refuse & recycling collections are currently taking place as scheduled.

"However, due to new changes to collection days and working patterns, some of the crews are covering new areas and are getting used to their new collection rounds.

"This has delayed collections in some areas which means that collections may take place later than usual or, in some cases, early the next day. Please do not report a missed road until midday the next day.

"If your bin has been accidentally missed, many apologies."

There is then a link to fill out a missed bin collection form, which you can find here.

MP for Chatham and Aylesford Tracey Crouch has been contacted for comment.

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