Cleaner streets invite issued by council

All 40 of Birmingham City Council’s wards are being invited to devise cleaner streets plans to help shape services to best fit the needs of local communities.

The invite was issued by Cllr Lisa Trickett, Cabinet Member for a Green, Smart and Sustainable City, during a litter summit staged at St Modwen’s offices in Longbridge yesterday (February 24).

Cllr Lisa Trickett - Cabinet Member for a Green, Smart and Sustainable City

During the summit, titled #tidybrum: Love Where We Live, Cllr Trickett and senior council officers heard from community groups in Stockland Green and Soho about what they feel needs to be done to make their areas cleaner and greener.

Cllr Trickett said: “The number one priority for residents is cleaner streets - we have heard that message and are determined to do everything we can as a council to help achieve it.

“But this can only be done if everyone plays a part. We all need to take a stand against the littering and flytipping that is spoiling our beautiful city.

“We must all love where we live, at a street-by-street, neighbourhood and city-wide level if we are to enjoy tidy streets. The ward-by-ward plans will help devise relevant local strategies for their own areas.”

Wards will be asked to present their initial local plans to the council in the coming months so they can then be finalised later this year.

Meanwhile, in her annual report to the Connectivity and Sustainability Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Cllr Trickett revealed details of some of the recent work taken to tackle the scourge of uncontrolled waste and flytipping in Birmingham.

Following its formation in October 2014, the council’s Waste Enforcement Unit has dealt with 900 requests for assistance.

It is currently undertaking 94 active investigations (that have the potential to become prosecution files) in respect of dumped commercial waste and a failure to carry out a duty of care in accordance with the law.

A total of 46 notices have been issued to traders, requiring the businesses to provide details of how they dispose of their waste. A total of eight commercial fixed penalty notices have been issued where firms have failed to comply with that demand.

And in respect of black bag advancement (when household rubbish is put out for collection too early), 76 fixed penalty notices have been issued for littering - 60 domestic, 16 commercial.

So far, 32 have been paid with 13 prosecution files submitted so far.

Cllr Trickett added: “The formation of our Waste Enforcement Unit shows we will not tolerate the actions of an extremely small minority of people that have no regard for the upkeep of our city.

“This is just the start of our effort to bring those responsible to justice. We will leave no stone unturned to make sure our city looks as attractive as possible.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

Refuse collection ‘advancement’ occurs when rubbish or recycling is presented for collection before the time stated by the city council in its service specification. Households are asked to present refuse no earlier than 3.30pm on the day BEFORE collection.

For more media information please contact Kris Kowalewski on 0121 303 3621

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