RESIDENTS and even a city councillor have criticised Winchester City Council for its new multi-million-pound deal with Biffa.

The authority announced that it had awarded the company another eight-year contract for household waste collections, worth £75 million, despite a high number of complaints from those living in the district and nearby East Hampshire over missed pick-ups.

The contract has since come under fire residents, with some taking to social media to air their displeasure.

Nick Richens said: “Utterly unbelievable, I hope they got a good deal whatever the cost may be,” and Mick Butcher added: “Absolutely unbelievable.”

Former mayor and Conservative councillor Frank Pearson commented on the Chronicle’s Facebook page saying: “Apparently it was the “lowest quote”, along with fulsome promises to “get their act together”!”

However, senior Tory councillor Stephen Godfrey said that improvements had been made and it was hope that objective continues.

Cllr Godfrey said to the Chronicle: “Any large contract will enter difficulties when transferring from one contract to another. I think in the lead up to the end of the last contract in September was a culmination of a poor period of service which was managed badly by the contractor and the council, they weren’t focusing on key issues which are important to residents.

“I think since we raised a lot of issues back in September and October there seems to be a lot more effort going in, there have been fewer problems.

“There were fewer failures, whether that was an improvement or less of a failure.”

Cllr Godfrey said that by entering into a new contract with Biffa civic chiefs must have “decided there was a good bid”.

Referring to the changes promised, he said: “We hope they will deliver more effectively in the new contract at the start of September this year.

“Biffa have been running the waste collection service in Winchester for eight years and at times done a very good job and other times they were acknowledging that they let residents down.”

Last year Biffa had experienced vehicle breakdowns because of its ageing fleet and problems with staff retention and high sickness rates. The company had been using a high number of agency staff who were unfamiliar with the rounds.