WREXHAM residents have reacted to the ongoing council strikes which have affected the county's bin collection services.

The industrial action was called by Unite Trade Union resulting in waste and recycling services being disrupted across the Wrexham area since Monday, September 4.

Services started to resume yesterday (Monday, September 18) for one week only - before the union begin its additional three-week strike which was announced last week.

The Leader: Overflowing bins in Wrexham waiting to be collected on Monday, 18.Overflowing bins in Wrexham waiting to be collected on Monday, 18. (Image: Megan Donoher)

The Leader spoke to Wrexham residents who have been impacted by the strike action, to gather their thoughts on the situation.

Joel Spencer, 43, from Borras, said: "There isn't a lot we can do about it. It's definitely disappointing, especially now they have extended the strike by another few weeks. Who knows when it will end?"

Also from Borras is Calie Jones, 29, who said: "Our bins haven't been emptied for over two weeks now and it's just awful because it's all piling up and blocking the walking path and nobody wants that. The area looks so messy and unhygienic and it's a shame to drive around and see the piles of rubbish everywhere."

Sian Roberts, 26, lives in a block of flats on Pen-Y-Bryn, and is disgusted by the amount of general waste piling up at the back of the building in the car park. 

She said: "It really smells and it's only going to get worse the longer they leave it. It's worse for us because it's all of our bins combined.

"It seems like the council is always striking about something or another, I can't keep up. I just hope it gets sorted sooner rather than later."

On the other hand, Marjorie Lloyd, 40, from Acton said: "If I was in their shoes I would probably be doing the same thing. I don't know how effective the strikes will be, but at least they're doing something to support themselves.

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"It's no different to the rail or teacher strikes, and people don't seem to make as much fuss about that."

Unite members say they have 'overwhelmingly rejected' the local authority employers’ pay offer of just £1,925, a poorer offer than last year and a real terms pay cut.

Matthew Riffel, 30, from Gwersyllt, said: "I used to work for the council and it's definitely those on the lower end of the pay scale that are being impacted the most which is sad to see.

"I can see why people are moaning about their bins, but by putting themselves in the workers's shoes, you can see why they're doing it so they definitely have my respect."

Another Wrexham resident, Bryn Evans, 54, said: "We can see both sides to the situation. It's a shame the workers are not being listened to and it's a shame that we are also suffering as a result of it. 

"The waste needs seeing to and I don't know when services will resume so we're leaving it out on the street until we hear something different. It's disappointing to see piles of rubbish around the centre as a result."

Many residents have taken action into their own hands and have delivered their general waste and recycling to the local skip. 

A spokesperson from Wrexham Council said: "Put your black bin out on your normal collection day from Monday, September 18. 

"With the expectation that staffing levels will be temporarily back to normal, Wrexham Council is hoping to make up lost ground and has a simple message for local households.

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"Please put your black bins and recycling out on your normal collection day (even if this isn’t your normal week for black bins), as our plan is to ensure we empty all black bins and recycling containers (including food waste) during the week commencing September 18.

"Please don’t put your green bins out, as unfortunately we won’t be able to collect garden waste."

Councillor Hugh Jones, Wrexham Council’s Lead Member for Environment, said: “We’ll be using this week to prioritise black bin and recycling collections, and although we can’t guarantee we’ll get to everyone, we’re confident we’ll get to most households." ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌

The next round of strike action is set to run from September 25 until October 15, and the council will issue further advice to households next week. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​