End to fly-tipping big priority for council
COUNCILLORS have called for a cross party mission to curb fly-tipping in North East Lincolnshire.
They said it would be be one of the top priorities for the Conservative-controlled authority.
Some of the new cohort of Conservative councillors said residents had complained about fly-tipping when they were out campaigning.
The blight of vast amounts of rubbish being dumped in alleyways and amenity areas have upset many residents in the borough.
East Marsh councillors Kay Rudd and newly-elected Nicola Aisthorpe said there needed to be a cross party coalition to tackle the problem in the ward and the rest of the borough.
“Now we can concentrate on the problem. There is no stepping away from the issue and we must all work together for the benefit of residents. Hopefully we can get on with clearing alleyways once and for all and work with all the partners and get the message out that this will not be tolerated,” she said.
Councillor Aisthorpe said: “It is one of the main problems. We need strong enforcement. We have produced evidence and given it to the council and they have done nothing. It is just a small minority that makes the majority suffer.” Environmental campaigner, Daniel Westcott, elected for the Conservatives on Park ward said: “In parts of the ward where there are terraced properties there are alleyways which are used for fly-tipping. It is standard across the borough. “Patrick Street has a small group of people who report incidents of fly-tipping to the council. We need more people to report incidents. We should be speaking to landlords and make them aware of anti-social tenants and give them a warning and if they persist it should be eviction.”
Fellow newly-elected councillor Georgia Astbury said: “Fly-tipping is one of the big issues in Immingham. I will be working with Karen and Stewart (Swinburn) to try to cut down on it. There is more to be done. It is about getting the whole community involved to tackle the problem.”
Brian Robinson, newly elected for Sidney Sussex said: “People fly-tip and it is not people from outside the area it is people from within the area.
“There are a lot of rental properties in the ward. People pay to get rid of waste and some illegally tip. I want the council to reintroduce the Skip It Scheme to collect fly-tipped waste.”
Council Leader, Councillor Philip Jackson said: “We are getting a lot of reports of fly-tipping. It is a national issue and I don’t think the situation is any worse in North East Lincolnshire than elsewhere. We improved ways for people to recycle and that should help to reduce fly-tipping.
“We shall continue to prosecute where we find those responsible. The problem with some alleyways is they are not the responsibility of the council. It is an issue that goes back to the days when I was on Grimsby Borough Council. Security gates were put in some alleys and most of the alleys are not the responsibility of North East Lincolnshire Council.
“People have to take responsibility. It is their property and they have to take responsibility for it. We are not in a position to clear every
alleyway.”