Environmental Enforcement in Woodside
Did you know that last year it cost borough council tax payers £40,000 for the council to collect illegally dumped bin bags in Woodside and £250,000 borough wide?
In June, Telford Magistrates fined a resident from Willowfield, Woodside £200 for repeatedly putting out side waste on grey bin collection day. The prosecution was brought by the Borough of Telford & Wrekin under Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Since the start of the alternating weekly collection the borough has invested a lot of time in the promotion of the new system. This included every household getting printed information, advertisements in local newspapers, road-shows and exhibitions and personal visits to customers requesting help.
The Willowfield resident had received several letters outlining the new collection policy as well as information and leaflets about what could be recycled. Extra bins were provided because of the number of people in the household and a recycling officer made a personal visit. The resident was served with a legal notice which she failed to comply with and did not accept a formal caution from the council for the offences. The council therefore had no alternative but to take the issue to the Magistrates Court.
The resident pleaded guilty to four charges of presenting side waste and was fined £50 for each offence, she was also ordered to pay £100 in costs.
Overall the new collection system has been well received by the majority of households across the borough. However, some residents still persist in dumping out side waste, which is no longer permitted. The council will now take firm action against these persistent offenders and this prosecution is just the first step. The borough will continue to promote, educate and offer advice about the collection system. It will also carry on improving the service, increasing the types of items that can be recycled and the number of places people can recycle.
Backing the prosecution, Alan Woods, Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy said “Leaving bin bags full of rubbish out on the streets can cause tremendous problems. If they contain food, then vermin gnaw at them, resulting in rubbish strewn everywhere and helping to swell our already rapidly increasing rat population”.
“While we always see prosecution as the last resort, it seems the Borough of Telford & Wrekin had little choice but to bring this resident to book. The council has a duty to reduce the waste mountain and keep the Borough clean. If despite education campaigns, better recycling facilities and several warnings, people continue to defy the law they must be prepared to accept the consequences”.
If you need help or information, call Environmental Maintenance Customer Services on 01952 617171.
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