Birmingham bins boss says there won’t be ‘two tier system’

Birmingham Council’s bins boss has said there won’t be a “two tier system” after a report uploaded in error suggested supported exempt accommodation properties would keep weekly collections.

The draft report – published on the council website by mistake – proposed that a raft of changes to Brum’s waste service should be implemented city-wide.

These changes included collections of household rubbish going from weekly to fortnightly.

But a number of councillors were particularly concerned by a proposal in the report that supported exempt accommodation (SEA) could keep weekly collections.

SEA is designed for people in the UK with additional needs, including former prisoners, people recovering from addiction and women fleeing domestic abuse. It provides housing along with care, support and supervision.

But there have been long-running fears over such properties being poorly managed and the knock on impact in local communities across the city.

BBC Panorama recently found that some private companies are making huge profits and exploiting the welfare system by receiving housing benefits on behalf of residents but failing to give them the support they are required to.

Property agents are also reportedly drawing people into the taxpayer-funded system using social media videos that offer free rooms, PlayStation consoles and even holidays.

Cllr Mick Brown (Labour, Gravelly Hill) raised the issue at a scrutiny meeting this week, saying: “My understanding is that the report published in error contained a proposal to maintain weekly waste collections for SEA properties.

“Am I correct to think that and if so, who requested that?”

Cllr Harris Khaliq – the cabinet member overseeing the waste service – gave firm assurance that this proposal would not be happening and said SEA properties keeping weekly collections was “never agreed”.

“There will be no two tier service that will give supported exempt accommodation users a different service to the rest of the city,” he said.

“That was never discussed, never agreed and should never have been published.

“I’m not aware of where that has come from and as the investigations follow, the right action will be taking place.

“But I can assure you that will not be happening.”

He then confirmed an investigation into how that particular proposal ended up in the report was taking place.

Councillor Roger Harmer, leader of Birmingham City Council, told Panorama that his officers were working to eradicate fraud and poor provision in the exempt housing sector.

“There is a huge incentive for us to crack down on the bad providers,” he said.

“But the problem is you shut down one property, they can just go next door and open up in the next house,” he added, pointing out that housing benefit rules were set by the DWP.

A government spokesperson said it is “working to implement measures… to raise standards and drive out the minority of poor providers taking advantage of the Housing Benefit system”.

‘No final decision has been made’

Cllr Harris had to previously insist that no final decision has been made on whether to introduce fortnightly collections city-wide following the report being uploaded in error.

Two pilots were held this year, with the first in the north of the city seeing the collection of household rubbish go from weekly to fortnightly, as well as the introduction of a second recycling bin and food waste collection.

A second pilot, which kept the weekly refuse collections, was also delivered to thousands of households across the Hodge Hill and Bromford, Moseley, Kings Norton South and Stirchley wards.

The council’s political leadership – a coalition of Lib Dems, Greens and various independents – has said the findings from these pilots will be considered before a decision is made on the future of the waste service.

But the report uploaded by mistake proposed the service seen in the first pilot should be implemented city-wide.

A separate report, which was later uploaded ahead of this week’s scrutiny meeting, makes no specific recommendations regarding which pilot should be adopted.

The Birmingham Conservative group later argued that the ‘bin report blunder’ raised a serious question of whether the council’s leadership has already made its mind up when it comes to fortnightly collections.

“I would like to be clear, no final decision has been made,” Cllr Harris said in response. “Any proposals will be considered through the council’s decision-making process.

“If approved, any changes would be introduced gradually, with residents receiving clear information and advance notice.

“Our aim is to deliver a reliable, sustainable waste service that supports higher recycling rates and meets the needs of Birmingham residents, including those who may require different arrangements.”