East Devon waste complaints rise despite lower missed collection rates

Waste service complaints in East Devon have increased by 3.9% over the latest 12-month period, rising to 510 compared to 491 the previous year. According to reports from the East Devon District Council’s Recycling and Waste Partnership Board, collection issues accounted for 74% of upheld complaints.

Despite the rise in complaints, the actual missed collection rate remains very low at 0.06%. The total number of missed collections fell by 3.2% year-on-year, from 3,872 to 3,749. Recycling collections were identified as the primary source of missed pickups, representing approximately 70% of misses over a two-year analysis period.

Winter months were noted as the main pressure point for complaints, with several monthly figures exceeding the long-standing contractual threshold of 47. While refuse misses saw a year-on-year increase, the council stated that missed collections are typically resolved within 48 hours.