"It's just not nice to see": Locals fuming after row erupts over bins

A row has erupted in Oldham... over bins. Locals are reportedly fuming after rubbish bins were removed from Dunwood Park in Shaw earlier this month.

There's been an increase in littering as a result, it is claimed. Lib Dem leader councillor Howard Sykes has hit out at the council, accusing the town hall of offering taxpayers a 'disgraceful service'.

The council says the bins were removed as part of a project to introduce bigger ones. That work was completed this week, it added.

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Coun Sykes said: "The council have left the place looking like a tip. Rubbish is piling up and people who use the park are rightly furious."

He claimed people weren't aware of the plan for bigger bins, adding: "Bigger bins mean fewer bins, [which] mean more litter and more dog fouling."

Friends of Dunwood Park member Joseph Beeston claimed he had seen an increase in littering when there we no bins, adding: "It's upset me because now people are just dumping their dog rubbish where the bins were. On numerous occasions we've had to move the dog rubbish ourselves because it’s just not nice to see."

Coun Chris Goodwin, who leads the Don't Trash Oldham campaign, said: "Let me be really clear, this isn't the council leaving rubbish on the floor. A small number of inconsiderate people think it is fine to dump their waste and leave it for our employees and volunteers to pick up.

"Asking people to hold onto their rubbish for a bit longer until they’re near a bin is not a big ask." The council is in the process of replacing every one of the borough's street bins with 'newer and bigger' models, he added.

Coun Goodwin said: "These new bins hold far more litter and waste than the old ones, are easier to empty and don’t need bin bags, which saves council tax payers' money."

Five large bins have now been installed in Dunwood park, increasing the capacity from 810 litres previously to 1,200 litres, according to the council.