Binman forced out by council 'for picking up too much rubbish'



Ousted: Albert Stewart has been moved to another round eight miles away

All Albert Stewart wanted to do was help householders keep their streets looking clean and clear of clutter.



But the binman has been removed from the round he has worked for 33 years – for picking up too much rubbish.



The 60-year-old took away extra bin bags left beside overflowing wheelie bins, which council bosses say is against strict refuse rules.



Householders caught leaving rubbish outside wheelie bins can be fined up to £1,000.



He was issued with a written warning by officers from West Lancashire Borough Council and moved from his route in Aughton to another one eight miles away.



Mr Stewart, a married grandfather-of-six from Ormskirk, Lancashire, accused the council of ‘spying’ on its own binmen and said bosses were motivated by money.



‘I’m really annoyed and upset about this,’ he said. ‘I’ve been on the same round for 33 years – I’ve seen babies born, go to school, grow up and have babies themselves.



‘They weren’t just people I took rubbish from – they were my friends too. I’ve had lots of people coming up to me saying they miss me.’



Dylan Sharpe, campaign director of Big Brother Watch, said: ‘This case is a sad indictment of Britain.

'A man who has helped foster a nicer environment in his area is punished because the council has enforced pointless, pathetic rules designed to hit the law-abiding citizen in the pocket.’

A spokesman for West Lancashire Borough Council said residents were asked not to put out black bags next to their wheelie bins because it attracted vermin.

Binmen were instructed not to take the bags away because it encouraged residents to break the rules.