RATS and rodents are filling the streets of Basildon because of huge piles of rubbish left uncollected, furious Labour candidates have claimed.

The Labour party has written an open letter to the Environment Agency this week claiming that the health of “residents is in jeopardy” due to uncollected rubbish after the roll-out of a new waste collection scheme.

Ahead of the elections on May 2, Labour council candidates have demanded action but Tory Kevin Buck – who has led the new scheme – is claiming the scheme is “progressing excellently” and the council is still fining residents who fail to follow rules.

Last November, the rollout of the scheme saw waste sacks replaced with wheelie bins in a bid to boost recycling rates.

Pitsea North West Labour candidate, Pat Reid, said: “Ever since the disastrous waste changes were introduced, there have been black bags dumped across estates in Pitsea.

Every single day when I walk around the town, you have to walk past piles and piles of smelly rubbish.

“When you report it to the council, they tell you that it doesn’t exist, and it is not their problem. What choice do we have but to escalate our complaints on behalf of the residents.”

Pitsea South East candidate Ben Westwick claimed residents are being treated like “second-class citizens” because of uncollected rubbish.

The Labour party claimed it had “exhausted all avenues” and had repeatedly pleaded with the administration to reverse the changes.

Mr Blake, a candidate in the Burstead ward, dismissed the concerns however, adding that Labour had “never formally approached them”.

He said: “We are doing everything we can, we have cameras in problem spots, we are fining more people than ever before.

“The council are doing all they can and residents now need to abide by the new rules.

“We have progressed excellently and we have more people getting fined, more people reporting other people and they are willing to because people are fed up with it.”

In Pitsea South East, Mr Westwick will be running against Adeshile Yetunde (Con), Gary Canham (Con), Linda Harrison (Ind), Christopher Hilleard (Lab) Gillian Palmer (Lab) Craig Rimmer (Con) Steven Spowart (Lib Dem) Steven Willis (Green).

In Pitsea North West, Ms Reid will be running against Michael Baker (Lab), Stuart Burke Terson (Con), Emma Callaghan (Lab), Mark Cottrell (Con), Martin Howard (Lib Dem) Jack Huggins (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition), Lewis Smith (Con)