It is always risky to report a single waste collection error and assume some more extensive underlying problem, but in York things may be far less than satisfactory.

Apparently one Holgate resident has been waiting for 10 days for her grey bin to be emptied.

Although the issue will be familiar to many, given the shambolic reorganisation of bins collections over the last week, this case raises more serious issues.

The home concerned is one that is on the schedule for the collection of clinical waste. This type of waste is collected regularly by the Council prior to incineration.

Despite EIGHT attempts to contact the council, the waste remains on the street.

Contract and delivery standards can be poor and with the economic constraints that the country now faces it is not surprising that services are being reduced and standards falling.

But EIGHT attempts at a single collection suggest little more than incompetence, and not value for money for long-suffering residents.