Neighbours have banded together to oppose Brighton and Hove City Council’s plans to introduce communal rubbish bins in their area.
People living in Auckland Drive, Bevendean, are concerned that introducing large communal bins on their road would block traffic and result in fly-tipping.
After complaining to the council, the campaign group Bingate has taken its case to the Local Government Ombudsman.
On its website, the Bingate group said thatthe council’s consultation process sounded like a “done deal”.
The group was also concerned that disabled and elderly people who currently had assisted collections would no longer have any help taking their rubbish and recycling to a communal bin in the street.
The proposed changes to communal bins follow a health and safety report in which the area was described as having steep banks and narrow access points.
Hazards and risks identified in the report included the slopes, narrow steps and long walking distances required to collect bins, contributing to slips, trips and falls.
The report said: “The assessment of the Auckland Drive to Hornby Road area (referred to as Bevendean Place) highlights significant risks to waste collection operatives including steep slopes, narrow access points and long walking distances.
“By adopting a section-based approach, collaborating with residents and considering infrastructure improvements, we can reduce the risk of injuries and improve operational efficiency.”
Proposals put forward last year showed that the council was looking to bring in two 1,100-litre rubbish bins and two mixed recycling bins the same size and these were to be collected several times a week.
One or two 240-litre glass recycling bins would be emptied fortnightly along with a food waste bin.
The council’s highways team objected to the proposals put forward to put the bins on the roads and suggested cutting into the grass banks.
A summary of the highways team’s concerns said that the road was narrow and that bins on a “live carriageway” would cause an obstruction, not least because part of the road was a bus route.
Auckland Drive resident Dominic Leslie said: “Residents should not have to accept a street that looks like a dumping ground because a service that has operated for years suddenly becomes too inconvenient to provide.
“Communal bins invite fly-tipping, reduce already scarce parking and shift the burden of doing the bin crews’ job on to local people.
Another Auckland Drive resident Michael Anscombe said: “The council already misses collection rounds at times so I have serious doubts about its ability to keep larger communal bin sites properly maintained.
“There are also concerns about unpleasant smells, the loss of valuable parking spaces, displacing cars (forcing) them on to the grass verges which will block the road.
“The health and safety implications for residents have been ignored despite the council’s driver being the health and safety of its staff.”
Bevendean resident Kendrick Tugwell was frustrated that the council was moving ahead while the community was taking its case to the ombudsman.
Mr Tugwell said: “We’re not against bins. We’re against unsafe and unfair decisions.
“Communal bins in the road might be convenient for the council, but they could block traffic, take away precious parking and make life harder for older and disabled neighbours.”
The council said: “We are planning to introduce communal bins in Auckland Drive. This is an operational decision as part of our ongoing work to address collection rates and health and safety in the area.
“The proposals were recently revisited but plans have taken into account feedback from our earlier consultation with residents.
“We are currently finalising proposals but will continue to engage with impacted residents and provide further information ahead of the change to communal bins.”
They obviously feel they’re ‘ special ‘…..
Have the bollocks to pot you’re name you clown
Not special, we expect to be treated the same as most other residents. So actually quite the opposite you keyboard warrior!!
Well, it sounds like they’ve had a long-standing issue with bin collections, enough to encourage them to make a decent looking website; so communal bins seems like the reasonable solution, because you reducing the potential points of failure in service.
I don’t think any of the concerns reported here have any merit. Take narrowing the road for example, Auckland Drive always has cars parked along it, a communal bin isn’t going to make any material difference to the available width of the road. Assisted collections aren’t affected by the type of bin they go into, and are well established in other areas of the city which uses communal bins, so that’s just a reassurance thing, in my opinion. I don’t see flytipping substantively increasing that area, because it’s off any major routes by a significant amount. Flytippers are inherently lazy by their very nature!
There are no issues with the current round . Occasionally they miss a collection but that happens city wide and is part of their operation.
Bin men have operated in this street for 60 plus years as it is. 2 minor accidents which were the fault of the operative who was injured and not the round they were on. How you come to that conclusion having read that article I will never know.
It’s a drive to improve efficiency by the council and reduce costs but they are hiding behind h+s .
There are plenty of alternatives but the council isn’t interested because they all make a mockery of their H and S issue when the real issue is about reducing costs. What happens after bins come in !! Cars are displaced pushing them onto verges or into other streets. Parking becomes the issue for the council and they control it with parking permits costing residents more money . It’s happened all the way from the seafront and is working its way north.
What would you say the alternatives are, in your opinion?
By your comments you obviously don’t live up in Auckland Drive. The reason it is being rejected so much is due to lack of parking up here due to all the hmo’s up here , health and safety being cited as a reason but it’s ok for residents to carry the same rubbish to these communal bins where is our health and safety. But more importantly the way that it has been handled by the authorities is a disgrace.
There’s quite a few sorted accommodations for high risk individuals up there, yes. But are your comments not an argument for communal bins? Safer to have one common collection rather than multiple smaller collections? And for individuals, is there a material difference putting your personal rubbish into a larger bin?
Guess you work for the council? Seeing as you’re supportive of a decision that doesn’t affect you whatsoever!! I’m sure if you lived on that road you would understand the concerns and frustration. Feel free to go onto their website and actually read up the whole situation before you comment.
I’ve down a lot of work that way previously, so I know the area well. I don’t work for the council, but I’m supportive because the benefits seem to outweigh any inconveniences, especially considering the position of the concerns and frustrations. I did have a read of the website before commenting, thanks.
Wait until they find the communal bins are rarely collected on time sometimes days or week or 2 later, rubbish stacked all around the bins bags ripped open by animals rubbish filled roast gutters and pavements, as we have in west hove Goldsmid area. Rates increase every year and get less and less
Benjamin would you like to accommodate a communal bin outside the front of your home?
Is that not just whataboutism? Anyway, I already do. And it has worked very well for several years. Not understanding what point you are trying to land here?
> Hazards and risks identified in the report included the slopes, narrow steps and long walking distances required to collect bins, contributing to slips, trips and falls.
These slopes, steps and distances… instead of paid professionals walking these areas pushing wheelie bin,s they expect all the locals, including disabled and elderly, to negotiate the slopes steps and distances with their rubbish bags…
I assume that means a council tax discount for those in this area now a personal bin service is being lost.
People doing building work will benefit as so much easier to fly tip next to these ugly bins. Moving out your student digs? Then dump the armchair here instead of hiring someone to take it away. A nice bonus service. Not as if anyone needs the parking spaces up there. They are going to get extra fit having to walk so far to throw trash out so loss of parking spaces ain’t a problem.
“The proposals were recently revisited but plans have taken into account feedback from our earlier consultation with residents.“
BHCC, that’s not true at all. In January 2026 over 30 residents met with you. I was there. We made NUMEROUS suggestions and gave lots of feedback.
You took NONE of it into account. The plans you’re rolling out now are the EXACT SAME plans as you proposed last year.
Nonsense.
Perhaps you need to remind yourselves how it went down. Your own internal emails wouldn’t be lies, would they?
https://bingate.bevendean.info/
I take it Withdean Road, Valley Drive, Dyke Road Avenue, Tongdean Avenue etc will be next or even the rest of the City ?
These bins were never the intention for residential properties. They were originally introduced to combat Seagulls tearing black bags open and multi occupancy properties. Councillor Mary Mears was at the helm !
Absolutely — I think that is the concern many people will share. The 2024 H&S assessment says it was intended not only to address Auckland Drive, but also to explore “broader applications to other similar locations.” It also says the approach may be applicable to other areas with similar topographical and access challenges. So while no wider rollout has been announced, Auckland Drive could become a model for other streets with slopes, steps or difficult access.
That is why it is important that the council gets this right: any solution should be safe for crews and practical, accessible and fair for residents
That sounds reasonable – if there’s a new problem with access in a different area, and this solution has proven to work, then there’s no need to reinvent the wheel, right?
Lucky them ive not had my bin emptied in 3 wks disgusting others all around have.