Calls for legal action in hell that is ‘Smelly Oak’
Rubbish and flytipping making life a misery for residents
FURIOUS residents in Selly Oak – dubbed ‘Smelly Oak’ – say their rubbish problems are so dire that only new legal powers against errant landlords, takeaways, students and flytippers can end their misery.
Navigating the area’s pavements is like taking on an obstacle course featuring discarded mattresses, rubble, flytipped mountains of trash and circles of abandoned bins, says a frustrated Andrew James.
He is so fed up that he has now launched a petition pressing for a Public Space Protection Order to target frequent offenders.
A PSPO is a legally enforceable order prohibiting named actions and can result in penalties.
They can only be introduced with sufficient support and the backing of stakeholders, often including the police, local charities and the council.
Mr James said: “It is a nightmare, especially for people with access and vision issues, parents with pushchairs and those using wheelchairs,” he said. “It’s been like it for years but we have seriously had enough now.”
The 26-year-old has been pressing for action for a long time in a bid to reclaim the streets around Bournbrook. In emails and calls to council officials, police, councillors and nearby bin depot staff he has made a powerful case, backed by photos.
He said he is frequently fobbed off with promises to act, only to then simply see the problems worsen.
Talk of a consultation over an Order goes back to early 2023 but without any progress.
But it is the only suitable next step, he says. It would highlight how each home needs to accept personal responsibility for keeping the pavements clear outside their home, and enforce against those that don’t play their part, he said.
He also wants the council to press for more action on businesses who generate waste, including housing landlords and takeaway restaurants.
His concerns mirror that of local resident and university student, Ben Thomas, who contacted the Post to share pictures of piled up bags, boxes and overflowing containers coming out from bins on Hubert Road, Selly Oak.
There are fears for how the city’s streets will look as weekly bin collections look set to be on their way out as a result of Birmingham City Council’s budget cuts nightmare.
Pilot areas of the city will trial a fortnightly ‘alternating’ collection this year, with a full switch to fortnightly collections expected the year after, which the authority says will save £4.5 million a year.
The budgets for street cleaning and even the highly regarded Mobile Household Waste Centres, which visit rubbish hotspots regularly so residents can dispose of larger waste freely, have all been cut.
In response to our enquiries, Cllr Majid Mahmood, Cabinet Member for Environment, appeared to rule out immediate action. He said: “We fully understand the concerns of local residents about issues relating to the street scene in their part of Selly Oak.
“First and foremost, we cannot lose sight of the fact that everyone living in or operating a business in any area has a personal responsibility to respect their local environment.
“If people did this, we would not witness the many issues that are being experienced in this case.
“But it is right that the council also has a part to play too. The councillors for the area, for a very long time, have worked hard to engage with the community and stakeholders such as the Student Guild.
“Our waste management team has also carried out various activities in the area in an attempt to encourage the positive behaviours that would end the local issues. The recentlyappointed senior management within the service are looking at what else is possible as part of our effort to modernise and improve services across the city via the wider transformation programme that underpins the council’s budget for the year ahead.
“Although that programme requires us to make efficiencies and savings, please be assured services such as our well-regarded Mobile Household Waste Centres will continue to operate, with a priority given to areas of greatest need.
“We also have plenty of booking availability at our static Household Recycling Centre sites and there are a range of other options available to people including our paid-for bulky waste service and many legitimate third-party operators too.
“Existing regulations relating to HMOs (homes of multiple occupation) can also play a part with such issues, and where we have evidence of waste offences that meet the legally-required threshold, we will not hesitate to prosecute – as evidenced by a range of cases in the past across Birmingham – but we need conclusive evidence and/or witnesses willing to come forward to do this.
“A PSPO remains a potential option but has to be a last resort when all other options are exhausted. We will keep the situation under review but believe the other actions and options that are being followed, finalised or are already available need to be given a chance to have an impact before an order is considered.”
It is a nightmare, especially for people with access and vision issues, parents with pushchairs and those using wheelchairs Andrew James