COUNCIL employed caretakers are collecting both recyclable and non-recyclable rubbish on a weekly basis in Robin Hood's Bay after complaints from residents.
Caretakers in the village collect rubbish from outside properties in lower Bay and store it elsewhere in the village before it is collected by bin lorries.
The council denies this is a return to the old system of weekly collections and said bin co
llections had not changed.
Harry Briggs, recycling development officer for Scarborough Council said: "Robin Hood's Bay is very densely populated with a high number of holiday properties which ultimately sees a high turnover of holidaymakers staying in Robin Hood's Bay.
"We collect rubbish from the village in sacks which are collected from properties by a caretaker on a weekly basis.
"These sacks are then stored centrally within the bay and are collected by the refuse vehicles on an alternate weekly basis.
"It makes no difference operationally if the caretaker collects both blue and green sacks each week as ultimately the refuse is only removed from the 'Bay under alternate weekly arrangements."
Mr Briggs added: "We have not reverted to weekly collections; we are firmly committed to our new scheme. We have instead listened to the suggestions of staff and residents in the lower section of the Bay, this has not been a kneejerk reaction but one of consistent trial and error to fit the 21st Century need to separate household waste into a 16th Century village."
The council says it has trialed a number of ways to address the problem collecting the rubbish in the narrow and compact part of the village.
It said it had been a joint decision made by the Recycling Support team, the caretakers and residents.
Josephine Winter, who runs the Boathouse Bistro at the bottom of Bay, said the council needs to do something about rubbish collection in the village.
"The village is a mess and it has definitely got worse since we went to fortnightly collections," she said.
"The problem is that in the winter there is a population of around 100 but that increases ten fold in the summer and the people in holiday cottages aren't worried about putting their rubbish out at the right time or separating it into the right bags as they are not here that long.
"The council is trying all sorts but they need to find a solution that works,"
The full article contains 409 words and appears in Whitby Gazette Tuesday newspaper.
