Westminster's Waste Contractor Faces 83 Complaints Over Five Years
Veolia, the waste contractor for Westminster City Council, has received 83 complaints about its services in the borough since 2021, according to data obtained through a Freedom of Information request. The most frequent grievances involved driver behavior and staff rudeness, highlighting ongoing concerns despite the company's extensive operations.
Top Complaints and Incident Breakdown
In the latest data spanning from May 2024, driver behavior led the list with 12 complaints, followed closely by staff rudeness with 10 complaints. Other issues, such as damage to property and "staff actions," were far less common, each accounting for only two complaints. Minor incidents, including sweeping barrow obstruction, vehicle driver incidents, loss of items, parking issues, improper disposal, and street cleaner behavior, each recorded a single complaint.
These complaints occurred across Westminster, reflecting sporadic but persistent service issues. Veolia emphasized that these complaints represent a minuscule fraction of its weekly operations, which include over a million collections serving more than 200,000 residents.
Complaint Trends and Contract Performance
The data reveals fluctuating complaint numbers over the years: 27 in 2021/22, dropping to 14 in 2022/23, further decreasing to 10 in 2023/24, then rising to 23 in 2024/25. In the current financial year of 2025/26, nine complaints have been lodged so far.
Despite these complaints, a council report from November 2025 indicates that Veolia's performance remains at a "very high level." The company has been handling collections, street cleansing, and ancillary services for Westminster since 2010. Public perception of these services is reportedly "exceptionally high," based on a council survey.
Contract Renewal and Future Plans
Veolia's street cleansing contract is set to expire in September 2027, and the council is considering renewal. Additionally, the company manages waste treatment, disposal, recycling processing, and food waste processing under contracts ending between March 2027 and March 2032.
A Veolia spokesperson stated, "We take all feedback seriously and investigate every complaint, taking appropriate action. The complaints since 2021 are an extremely small proportion of our daily interactions. We engage with residents through initiatives like our Recycling Champions to continuously improve services."
Cllr Max Sullivan, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Streets, added, "We treat all reports seriously and regularly meet with Veolia to ensure lessons are learned and professional standards are maintained across over a million weekly collections."
The council and Veolia are committed to addressing these issues proactively, aiming to uphold high service standards while preparing for upcoming contract renewals.
