Agenda item

Briefing Note of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services

The Scrutiny Board considered a briefing note on Fly-tipping in Coventry. The Cabinet Member for City Services, Councillor Hetherton, introduced the item and focussed on the preventative work and thanked the community activists who had worked hard to clear their neighbourhoods. The Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities, Cllr AS Khan also added that the challenge would be to educate people on how to dispose of their rubbish correctly, balanced with high profile enforcement. The Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Councillor Welsh also explained that private landlords can be held accountable through licensing conditions, to make sure their tenants have information and sufficient bins to deal with their rubbish effectively.

The briefing note provided information on the challenges around waste disposal and fly tipping over recent years and that the COVID-19 epidemic had significantly changed the landscape of waste disposal and the ability to challenge adverse behaviour. Recorded fly tipping within the City had increased by 54% to 10,765 in 2020/21.

Data tables included in the briefing note showed recorded fly-tipping by Ward in 2020/2, with Foleshill, St. Michael’s, Upper Stoke and Lower Stoke being the four highest wards in the city.

Members heard that whilst it was early days, 2021/22 by comparison had provided more of a settled environment for waste disposal services, education of residents in waste matters and enforcement activities. There had been pleasing reductions evident in the worst affected wards.

Examination of waste type data showed that the vast majority of fly tipping in the city was classified as ‘domestic’. It was apparent that commercial/business waste formed a relatively small part of the problem.

The increase in fly tipping throughout the past year was also accompanied by increased levels of enforcement. The Street Enforcement Service investigated all reports that were referred to it and carried out formal action as appropriate, which was hampered by the inability to carryout formal interviews under caution due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The Scrutiny Board questioned officers and the Cabinet Members and received responses on the following issues:

·  The reported figures included all incidents that were cleared up, not just those reported by members of the public.

·  There are not huge numbers of repeat offenders, the reasons are mainly due to ignorance, laziness, or the thought that they could get away with it.

·  There are concessions available for the bulky lift service and the reduced cost period would be extended for a bit longer. There would also be an additional “mop-up” round of waste collection to empty contaminated bins, so they were not left on the street. This would be alongside education, door knocking and pictorial leaflets to break the waste continuum.

·  Additional teams had been established with the additional resource allocated. 90 tonnes of rubbish had been removed from roads and work was continuing. There was also funding available to support community clear ups. 60 groups across the city had been supported, including skips for the rubbish.

·  Enforcement action for rented properties is targeted at the landlord as this is the most effective way of getting the issue addressed. Landlords were responsible for providing information about rubbish disposal to their tenants.

·  Commercial waste, as well as DIY waste had seen a small spike was not a significant issue compared with household waste.

·  The issue of dumped cannabis plants was dealt with alongside police action.

·  The street champion scheme can support areas where residents are afraid to come forward due to reprisals and officers would work with Members in those wards where that was a particular issue.

·  Involving the community must be balanced between responsibility for keeping their areas clean, but the Council’s work. The benefits for involving the community went wider than just a cleaner locality but had a positive impact on community cohesion.

·  Littering from food outlets was dealt with through enforcement and those outlets with a late-night refreshment licence would be covered as part of the licence conditions.

·  The Cabinet Member for City Services was considering a Day of Action for Council employees to work with people in areas where the rubbish is.

RESOLVED that Members of the Communities and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Board (4)

1)  Noted the content of the briefing note, and

2)  Created an elected Members Task and Finish Group to:

·  Explore with officers the reasons why fly tipping occurs

·  Determine what further measures can be taken to improve the situation