Run out of recycling sacks? Soon you will be able to Click & Collect some more in Milton Keynes

Labour council leader Pete Marland this week apologised for the issues that caused delays in the delivery of the clear sacks to thousands of households last year.

And he pledged to introduce improvements - including allowing resident to Click & Collect to pick up their own supplies from designated places.

Pete said: “We know that many people have experienced issues with the next on-line system. It is not good enough and we are sorry.”

He added: “It is not like how we deliver sacks is somehow ideological. There is no great socialist plan for bin sacks. We introduced the new system as a pragmatic way to save cash and improve the service.

“Ordering on-line should be quick, but we were not meeting the standards that I expect. The priority has been getting us to a system that is functioning properly.”

Before Christmas, with thousands of people out of sacks, the council introduced a ‘man and a van’ service to deliver the backlog.

Pete said: “We have now put in place measures to improve the system and make it much better. Listening to feedback, people would welcome being able to pick up orders from designated outlets, and we will be looking into that.”

Meanwhile Lib Dem councillor Sam Crooks (pictured) has gone a step further - and offered to become a registered outlet for his Broughton ward. He has offered to deliver the sacks personally if necessary.

"I did it for years with the old pink sacks. I would pile them in the boot of the car and drive round the area to hand deliver them. I am perfectly willing to do this with the clear sacks if the council could make me a registered outlet."

Changes to the way residents got hold of recycling sacks were made in August last year, when self-collection outlets ceased. This saved £200,000 a year.

The old method, that allowed people to help themselves, led to an abuse of the system. It is believed only two thirds - 66 per cent - of the sacks were actually used for recycling.

Though many of the glitches have been ironed out, anybody who has not yet received sacks ordered before December 4 should re-order online or call.