Resident calls for wheelie bins to end rubbish problems from ‘nuisance birds’ in Milton Keynes

The issue emerged after a leading Milton Keynes councillor was asked by a new resident what could be done to stop the mess caused by ‘nuisance birds’ ripping open his general waste sacks.

Tobias Mist, who moved to the city from Hemel Hempstead, said the local council there provided an “excellent bin service”, but things are not so good in Milton Keynes.

Speaking at MK Council on Wednesday, Mr Mist said: “Given the state of the streets in Milton Keynes, particularly in Whitehouse, where we have a problem with pests and nuisance birds ripping our bin bags open, are the council going to consider providing us with a separate coloured bin which we can stick general domestic waste in?

“I can foresee it’s going to cost us more and more because we are constantly having to clear up the mess.”

Cllr Emily Darlington, the council’s cabinet member for public realm, said: “It’s often raised by people from the London way and others who are used to having bins.

“We haven’t consulted on this since 2005-06. At that time there was a lot of opposition to bins but we are due to start re-consulting again because we are coming to the end of this contract, so we will be reconsidering things. We will be coming out to public consultation soon on exactly this issue.

“One of the other issues I want to look at, given our ambition to be a greener city is how we make sure that our waste and our recycling are all contributing to those ambitions.

“But you are right, in some places the black bins do get torn open. It does cause a big mess.”

Cllr Darlington said there is a broom and a shovel on each waste lorry that is supposed to be used to tidy up.

“If they are not doing it, please report it because they are supposed to and that is written in the current contract,” she said.

“But for the future contract – this one is coming to an end, we will be starting a consultation on what is the best way for us to manage waste in the city, in the greenest possible way to meet our ambitions.”