GLASGOW residents have raised concerns about lack of food waste collections during the coronavirus pandemic.

They claim bins are only lifted when a complaint is made making it a health and safety issue.

Labour councillor Paul Carey has also raised concerns with the local authority about plans for the purple bins going from four to eight-week collections and the green bins going from two to three.

He says the city council is trying to cut jobs and save money.

Mr Carey said: “A number of constituents have complained regarding the food waste bins.

“These bins have been lying well before the pandemic and it appears that they only get lifted if there is a complaint. Under this administration, the food collection has almost disappeared and the bins that are lying are now becoming a major healthand safety issue.

“This appears to be a saving by this administration brought in by the back door. The staff and the vehicles that previously collected the bins are either mothballed or used for other things and this started well before this pandemic hit.

“Purple bin collections are going from four weeks to eight weeks in the next few months, and the green bins will be collected every three weeks instead of two.

“These changes were put in place well before the pandemic and are to make savings and in my opinion cut jobs.”

Councillor Carey has also raised concerns about the problem with rats in tenement back courts and in public parks as people continue to leave their rubbish lying on the ground.

He added: “Nothing has been done to tackle the problem and now people are leaving rubbish behind them.

“This is going to make the situation worse and people need to start behaving. “

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “We are aware that despite the instruction for people to use general waste bins for food waste, there are food waste bins in backcourts that now require to emptied.

“To protect public health we putting together a plan to have these bins emptied as soon as possible.

“However, it must be stressed that the regular uplift of food waste bins from backcourts remains suspended at this time and food waste bins should not be used at this time.”