Civic chiefs have hit back at claims that the introduction of wheelie bins in the New Forest has descended into chaos.
It comes after Liberal Democrat members of the Tory-controlled district council described the launch of the new refuse collection system as "chaotic" and "mismanaged".
Cllr Jack Davies, a former mayor of Lymington, hit out at what he described as widespread confusion, missed deliveries, and uncollected waste.
Lymington's new mayor, Cllr Colm McCarthy, described the situation as "a shambles".
The first wheelie bins in the district have been rolled out in Lymington and two other parts of the district, Brockenhurst and New Milton.
READ MORE: Former Lymington mayor Jack Davies hits out at launch of new refuse collection scheme
Hitting back at comments made by the Lib Dems, Cllr Geoffrey Blunden, portfolio holder for environment and sustainability, described the claims as "inaccurate and unhelpful".
He added: "The majority of the 30,000+ households in phase one have now received new bins and [food waste] caddies.
"With any large-scale service transformation, we know there will be some teething issues as our crews adjust to new ways of collecting waste and new improved collection routes.
"I want to thank residents for their patience during this transition and for working with us to reduce waste, improve recycling, and comply with government guidance.
"We are transitioning from a mixed system of sacks and limited recycling to a comprehensive, modern system that includes food waste recycling.
"This kind of transformation cannot be implemented overnight, and minor disruption is anticipated in any project of this scale."
Cllr Blunden confirmed that some food waste collections were missed in the first week.
But he added: "This was identified swiftly, communicated openly, and is being resolved at pace. While unfortunate, it is precisely the type of short-term issue expected during early implementation."
Any missed deliveries reported to the council had been logged and were being resolved.
"We understand that change can be frustrating, particularly when it affects daily routines. But it is disingenuous to ignore the long-term benefits of a service that improves recycling, reduces waste, and modernises outdated practices.
"This is not a "shambles". It's a complex, carefully managed transformation, and we are proud of the progress made to date."
Council leader Jill Cleary added: "We have had some really positive reactions from our residents who have been eagerly waiting for these improvements. Where isolated issues have cropped up, they’re being addressed quickly and professionally.
"We're already seeing the benefits of a more modern, efficient waste collection service."
Cllr Steve Davies, who lives in New Milton, said: "Overall, I’ve been really impressed with how smoothly the new collections have started."
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