Grandfather's fury as binmen refuse to walk 18 INCHES to collect his bin

A grandfather today launched a scathing attack on council binmen who refused to walk 18 INCHES to collect his green waste.

Under council rules wheelie bins must be within one metre of the kerb before they are collected.

But Gordon Morris, 70, said his wheelie bin would block the pavement if he adhered to the rule, instead setting his bin 18 inches away on his driveway.

Refuse collectors, however, in Southwick, Wiltshire, refused to take the bin, as the rules had been broken.

Now, after a fight with the council Mr Morris has been granted special dispensation to place the bin with only the wheels on the pavement.

Bin crews will now only have to walk an extra nine inches to collect the waste from outside the  £400,000 home Mr Morris has shared with his wife Marion, 67, for 21 years.

The furious retired communications officer, who pays £1,800 a year in council tax, said: "This means they will have to walk one metre plus nine inches.

"It is unbelievable, the petty bureaucracy around these days.

"I have to have the wheels of the wheelie bin protruding onto the pavement so they can see the bin has to be collected.

"The compromise is that I push it out so the driver and his mate can see it but it will not block the pavement.

"They will now have to walk an extra nine inches to get my bin. I have been given special dispensation."

Despite his victory Mr Morris  was also given a sharp warning by council officials that his bin was too heavy.

He has been ordered to take some of the leaves and twigs out because they may fall on operatives as it is being emptied onto the van "which was a health and safety issue".

"I was told twigs and leaves could fall out onto the operatives and cause serious injuries," he said.

Councillor Linda Conley, who has responsibility for refuse collections on West Wiltshire District Council, said: "I shall be conducting an investigation into this case."

She denied an accusation that the wheelie bin issue was 'petty officialdom gone mad'.

She said: "We make every effort to collect bins in all sorts of circumstances. We have a very satisfactory and comprehensive refuse service.

"I am quite satisfied we are doing the best we can to facilitate the best collection of rubbish we can in West Wiltshire."

A spokesman for West Wiltshire District Council said: "We now have an agreement between the resident and refuse collectors over where he can put his bin in future."