Why are our homes, our estate being allowed to be a rubbish dump?

This was last night (6th March) and there is MORE rubbish piling up today.

The response for the council was to write to residents again!!!

I publish my response to this email "


With all due respect. You are more than well aware that this has been an issue since this scheme was introduced. I objected to initial consultation concerning the introduction bins wholly on the basis that it will create a rubbish dump outside our front door. Fly tipping was a problem before the bins went in. You have had several emails & photographs in support of this point since.

It is not that I object to having the bins on the estate. Recycling should be encouraged.

You seem to miss the fundamental point. H&F will stand a much better chance of exceeding the targets you mention. Of setting a high standard for other boroughs to follow. If you “win the battle of heats and minds” concerning residents. Clearly as far as council tenants are concerned you are failing here.

It is all well and good that Estate Services clear the rubbish away. But that takes time. From the moment the rubbish is dumped. The “rubbish tip” is already there. Also “passing the buck” here is very much a “closing the stable door after the horse has bolted approach”. I am asking for you to close the door before.

You seem to ignore the key point. The bin is a presence of the councils waste recycling collection system. If one person abuses it and dumps rubbish outside. It sends a signal that it ok for others. It encourages dumping.

Lets not be naive. Most residents are on board with recycling, including myself. However there is a need for a “carrot & stick” approach.

By all means applying the stick needs to be done gradually. By all means initially write to residents reminding them. However there needs to be a further sanction when your initial advice if ignored. You seem “scared to to this”. I am convinced the dumping has become a habit for those that do it. They can continue being selfish because the council isn’t going to do anything. It is weak.

Stop allowing us as council tenants to be seen as a sub-class in our community. The “well there only council homes so it is ok to abuse”.

I note your comments regarding compulsion on Goldhawk Road. In that case it does seem as if that is the “extreme” end of the stick. A measure to correct behaviour on an individual basis, that is missing. Will serve the council better. Target and amend the behaviour of selfish individuals whilst encouraging the wider community to recycle because they believe in it & the council facilitates and works “in partnership” with residents to achieve a common goal.

Thank you also for correcting your initial undertaking with regard to removal of problem bins. I understood thus far that where a bin was a problem the council was removing them. I would like to retain the bins on the estate. As pointed out in my objection. Where they are placed on the estate may go some way to addressing the issues I have raised since. The council ignored this point.

Given you have always written to residents when I have raised this in the past. That dumping continues. I have no faith in that form of action. It is “lip service”. Shows no results, doesn’t change the behaviour and is a waste of time & council tax payers money.

If you were to fine on person. They will talk amongst there peers. Don’t under value the power of “word of mouth”. It is certainly why this problem continues to exist today. Better the word was “we need to recycle properly otherwise we face a sanction” than “its ok to dump you rubbish outside William Banfield House”.

I will be posting this to my blog for general estate consumption."