Pledge to get tough on fly-tipping

The council is promising to clamp down on selfish residents not storing bins correctly and fly-tipping following a series of complaints.
Bins left in an alleyway and fly-tipped items on Bolton Road, AshtonBins left in an alleyway and fly-tipped items on Bolton Road, Ashton
Bins left in an alleyway and fly-tipped items on Bolton Road, Ashton

The town hall has received angry messages about rubbish being dumped in the alleyway behind Bolton Road in Ashton and bins simply being abandoned in open spaces rather than being put back in properties’ yards.

In response Wigan Council says it is speaking to those involved and employees will be out looking for offenders seven days a week.

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However, one resident who raised the alarm says a lot more needs to be done and expressed scepticism the local authority would be able to get on top of the problem.

He says the area has become something of a health hazard after putting out a fly jar to measure just how many insects were buzzing around the dumped waste and incorrectly-stored bins.

Karl Battersby, director of economy and environment, said: “We have visited the area and spoken to residents to remind them about correctly storing their bins. We have also arranged for the fly-tipped items to be removed.

“We will do a follow-up inspection in a couple of weeks to see if there are still problems and will do what we can to work with the residents to resolve any issues.

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“Our new and expanded environmental education and enforcement team is now in action seven days a week and will be working with residents to tackle all types of environmental crime, ensuring we have clean and tidy communities.

“Fly tipping ruins our communities and last year cost the council £800,000 which equates to nearly one per cent council tax. Through The Deal, by residents not fly tipping and recycling their waste correctly we can keep council tax low. We need residents to help us by reporting incidents and hotspots so we can carry our enforcements and catch offenders.”

Despite the strong words local resident Ian Cross said the council needed to get a lot tougher, saying just days after the town hall staff had visited the problem was back again.

Mr Cross said: “The council had told the people last Wednesday that the bins should be returned to their properties after they have been emptied but all they have done is put them in a line in the alleyway not in their own yards.

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“It now appears the norm for people in terraced houses to leave their bins outside the rear of their houses which is tempting people to put their own rubbish in them and the householder either has to use other bins or fly tip. If they were made to put them inside their own yards this would never happen.”

To report an incident of environmental crime such as fly tipping or dog fouling visit www.wigan.gov.uk/reportit or download the council’s Report It app.

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