WIDESPREAD confusion about refuse collection date changes in Barry has left residents outraged by the subsequent street mess.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council recently sent out letters to some householders advising that their black bag waste would now be removed on new dates. Many have since reported that the collections had not taken place on the dates advertised.

Some residents of Lee Road, Commercial Road, Davies Street, Gladstone Road, and Phyllis Street and Archer Road, on Barry Island, have been among those unhappy with the new service.

Court ward resident, Peter Kemp said: “I am disgusted with the new refuse change. Bags have still not been collected on the new day as advised by letter for black bags in my area on August 2.”

He said the council had told him the next collection would be on August 10.

“That will be three weeks of rubbish by then. Not everyone is going to bother to take them back in either," he said.

Mike Dunn, of Barry Island, said he thought the council's communications had been inadequate.

He said: “Because the Vale council could not adequately communicate to the residents of the Island that there would be no black bin collection today, the Island now resembles a rubbish tip with black bags everywhere waiting for the seagulls to tear open and make worse."

Vale councillor for the Court ward, Richard Bertin, said: “I can understand the need to save money, but when they promise that waste will be collected on such a day then it must be and not a week later. Many residents in streets such as Commercial Road and Lee Road have been left confused with the information supplied and black bags left on their streets.”

The Vale council said changes in collection were necessary to meet targets.

Vale council cabinet member for regulatory services Gwyn John said: “The Vale recycled an impressive 64 per cent of its waste in 2014/15 but by 2024 we will, as a county, have to push this figure above 70 per cent to meet new legal targets.

"We will all have to continue to change the way we dispose of our waste and we at the council will have to continue to change how we collect it. The changes to waste collection schedules are designed to reduce the cost of waste collection and provide a more efficient service.”

He said the council appreciated collection day changes could cause disruption and it had used every form of communication available to let residents know in advance.

He added that extra collections would be organised and the council was confident that the vast majority of residents would soon become accustomed to the new schedule.