Bin collections in Wales could become monthly as councils struggle to meet demand as their staffing levels decrease due to coronavirus.
The warning came as councils look to prioritise frontline services.
Andrew Morgan, who is leader of the Welsh Local Government Association, as well as leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf council, was involved in a joint press conference with the Welsh Government on Tuesday morning.
He warned his council, and others, are working on an estimate that 20% of staff will end up being off work which will impact on frontline services.
He said “some public facing facilities will close”.
Cllr Morgan said that it could be that bin collections could be reduced from fortnightly to even monthly.
Food and nappy collections will be kept regular a priority but as staff go off work, “our staff resources are going to be depleted", he said.
Cllr Morgan said councils will be drawing up a list of key services he said and trying to maintain staff in those departments.
Cllr Morgan said that his authority is working to a figure of 20% of staff being off at any point. That is the same with other councils, he told the press conference.
“That’s being kept under review,” he said.
Local Government minister Julie James added that Welsh Government and councils are using the same modelling as UK Government to predict staff absence and that changed last night and could change again.
