Bins in Harringay have begun to overflow. Picture: Harringay Online/Liz Ixer

Haringey politicians should stop using the borough’s bungled home recycling roll-out to score political points and start listening to residents, says one local.

That was Harringay resident Lix Ixer’s view when she spoke at last week’s Harringay and St Ann’s Area Forum.

Since the new arrangements were rolled out eastwards last month, residents have endured overflowing bins and smells, and seen pavements and front gardens filled with ugly bins.

A lack of information ahead of the changes, which have seen general waste collections go fortnightly in a bid to increase recycling, was also highlighted by Ms Ixer in a presentation to the meeting, echoing problems cited by residents to the west of Haringey who first got the new system.

Both sides of the political divide have used the issue as a political football but ignored the problem, she said.

“I’ve issues with both sides. I think the Lib Dems are making political hay with it - it’s their job, you cannot blame them - but some of the solutions they offered were not practical and smacked of opportunism.”

She said some councillors were committed and listening to residents, but others “want us to go away”, making it “really hard for people to get the message across”.

She added: ”I would say the majority of people understand the need for it, but it is a huge change and some may wonder whether they’re doing it too fast. It is whether or not they are prepared to collaborate with us non-political elements to make sure those problems are solved.”