Forum Topic

Angela White · 8/24/2016 11:36:00 AM

new.ActonW3.com Communtity Forum Topic posting

Ealing Council's fly-tipping removal policy

Having reported a fly-tipped mattress in Friary Road via the online forms with Ealing Council, I had an email to say they'd received my report and it would take up to 5 days to clear! What happened to the 48 hours to clear? Why are we stepping back in time?Come on, Ealing Council! This is not good enough. Leaving fly-tips, as you know, only begets more fly-tipping on top of it.

Angela White ● 3535d43 Comments

Newham must have made the case that all parts of the borough met the criteria for landlord licensing as set out in the Act. Very few boroughs have succeeded in doing that. There is blanket licensing in Wales. Most decent landlords would be happy to be licensed and have themselves and their properties checked out and get a certificate they can hang on the wall, but that's not what the Ealing scheme proposes, nor is the council equipped to do it. They're just asking for a substantial fee from decent landlords to cover the cost of policing the rogues, so the landlords who do pay won't really benefit from the scheme at all.

Peter Evans ● 3453d

I understand that Newham has borough-wide licensing of private rental properties.As always the problem is the rogue landlords who cause problems for the good ones.

Philippa Bond ● 3453d

The Housing Act 2004 only allows selective licensing of private landlords in areas where there are identified problems such as anti-social behaviour - hence the five selected wards in Ealing. It's not easy under the Act for these schemes to be applied borough-wide and some boroughs who have tried to do that have had their schemes rejected by the government, as here in the case of Redbridge:“We (the government) support the use of landlord licensing where a strong case for its introduction can be evidenced. While there may well still be a case for licensing some parts of the Borough, Mr Clark (the minister) has concurred that it does not extend to all wards of Redbridge.“Redbridge Council already has extensive powers to tackle rogue landlords and should now concentrate its time and resource on targeting specific problem areas, so that the majority of law abiding landlords and residents are not faced with footing the bill for a broad-brush scheme that has ultimately been determined as unnecessary.“We trust that this decision is an indication to local authorities that they will be held to account when proposing new licensing schemes, and that only schemes that can be justified as benefitting local communities will gain approval”.And that's why Ealing had to limit themselves to their present scheme. The question remains as to whether Ealing will take the trouble to enforce any of these new and the many existing regulations that apply to troublesome residents and rogue landlords.

Peter Evans ● 3454d

Hopefully the new licensing schemes for private landlords which is due to come into force in January 2017 will help with regard to those landlords who are not managing their properties properly.Failure to obtain a licence may result in prosecution and an unlimited fine.There is an early-bird discount.This needs to be brought in right across the borough.On other Councils websites you can see how many people have been licensed to live in the houses registered and which houses have been registered.

Philippa Bond ● 3454d

Things never change in Acton ....... a large transient population and greedy landlords.

Dee Cook ● 3454d

Hi Gill, bin locks are available to purchase if other people are using your bin.

Janice Evans ● 3460d

Thanks Maire. It seems the 'time banding' may already be happening. I got a letter from the council this week accusing me of fly tipping and charging me an £80 fine! They sent a photo of a black bag and some flattened cardboard with my name and address on, which they say was there at 10.02 am on Tuesday.I did indeed put those out there on Tuesday, but at 6.30 am as instructed (it's bin day, and it's where I have been putting my rubbish before 7am every bin day for the last 5 years). If the contractors hadn't cleared them by 10am, well, that's their fault, not mine.I'm glad they are cracking down on fly-tipping, but in this instance they have picked the wrong person. I will phone them tomorrow and ask for my 'police interview under caution' which is the only option they gave me other than paying the fine!

Gill Hothersall ● 3461d

Sorry, that was a reply to Janice.

Gill Hothersall ● 3461d

Other people could put stuff in your bin though, so that wouldn't necessarily solve the problem.

Gill Hothersall ● 3461d

There was an interesting piece on mattress recycling on the BBC's You & Yours programme 24 October 2016:http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07zxgn4

Philippa Bond ● 3464d

Is there any way bins could have a chip to identify which household it belongs to, would save an awful lot of hassle.

Janice Evans ● 3465d

Please be careful if you are taking photographs of discarded wheelie bins outside a property, the person living there might not take too kindly to someone taking pictures of their home with wheelie bin sitting outside!I did take some photos the other day but I was a little uneasy in case I was approached by the owner of the property!

Jean F Fernandez ● 3465d

A number of residents seem content to leave their wheelie bins out on the street for weeks on end, so what will happen if some are reported as 'abandoned' to Ealing Council and subsequently removed? The resident will end up with NO wheelie bin. That might be a punishment but will not solve the problem.In some cases along Horn Lane perhaps one can understand their difficulty in storing wheelie bins as there are steps leading up to the entrance, difficult enough to manoeuvre when empty but problematic when full of rubbish I imagine.This scheme was really not given much thought as to whether these things were suitable in this area! Unfortunately residents were not consulted, perhaps we should have been before this scheme was implemented.AMEY do not help matters when on some collection days they leave every wheelie bin sitting outside each property on the pavement instead of returning then to within the boundary as they are supposed to do. After all residents are advised NOT to leave them on the pavement.What happens when they are overflowing, not collected, then left for the next collection a fortnight away???

Jean F Fernandez ● 3465d

Perhaps the shops selling mattresses should have a collection policy to ensure that there are no dumped mattresses in our streets. They are unsightly and dangerous lying on the pavement.The last time I bought a bed I insisted the shop took the old mattress away otherwise they would not get my custom!

Jean F Fernandez ● 3465d

The older mattresses are a fire hazard, made before the use of safer materials.

Janice Evans ● 3465d

Apologies for not coming back to Gill and Clare straight away. I did draft a reply but didn't believe myself so I had to check. Actually I was right the first time.Shopping streetsThe High Street and Churchfield Road are cleansed every day at the moment, This means that residents and business can leave bags on the street 24/7 without penalty. If the businesses do not have a licence however, they can be fined £1000. They may commission a private collection which is the explanation for those yellow and pink bins.The Council is considering a new policy for streets like these which may include time banding (agreeing a time when rubbish may be put on the street) containerisation (giant wheelie bins where residents must carry rubbish) and other solutions. They will let us know.Reporting and complainingThe Waste and recycling dept acknowledge that the Council complaints & reporting system is a bit unwieldy for the volume of dissatisfaction with their service. Nevertheless, for auditing reasons they ask you continue to use either the telephone hot line 0208 825 8576 or the on line form on the website.However, they have asked our help to identify stray and unused wheelie bins on the street and down alleyways as they are a hazard in the dark and I have agreed to co ordinate this response, please send your photos of wheelie bins in alleys and on streets near you making their position clear. I will send a report to the Manager responsible every few days who will instruct Amey to remove them.None of this prevents you from complaining to anyone you think is listening or making your feelings known on social media.

Maire Lowe ● 3465d

Hi MaireCould you explain the time banding system please?I live in a flat on the High Street. No room for wheelie bin and not entitled to food bin. I use a clear recycling sack and a black bag. My collection point is on the High Street and I put the rubbish out there at 6.30am on bin day.Presumably I would be able to continue, just not put it there at any other time?The problem comes when I'm going on holiday. I don't want to leave full bin bags in my flat while away, but with no wheelie bin to put them in, what should I do?

Gill Hothersall ● 3466d

Please remind us how to report these problems quickly and efficiently. Thanks

Clare Gittins ● 3467d

Officers from the Council came for a walkabout with residents today. Charming and efficient, they took lots of photos and made notes. For two especially horrible flytips they called Kingdom to come and take them away so they could go through the bags to find the owners. Several business were horrified to be visited by the enforcement officer right then. Wheelie bins on pavements were noted and will be removed There is a permanent street cleansing service in Acton during leaf drop season. There is a plan to takeaway the metal recycling banks at the bottom of Church road and another to implement a 'time banding system' for people who still use black bags and drop them on the street. We felt officers were doing their best There are a number of different but connected problems requiring different solutions, Keep on reporting issues. Thank you all.

Maire Lowe ● 3467d

They do I believe go through the rubbish bags to find any paperwork with an address or some proof of who left it there, the larger items it can be difficult to prove.

Janice Evans ● 3467d

I'm sure it has everything to do with that. There are constant fly tips at street corners especially Milton and Churchfield. Also, Spencer Road has a number of wheelie bins obstructing the pavement. If I'd had more notice I could have given you a longer list.

Clare Gittins ● 3468d

This morning (Sunday) I saw a bin lorry collecting flytipped bags of rubbish and other debris along Churchfield Road. Three operatives working quickly. No attempt at all to identify the flats which had placed the rubbish on the pavement. I am not always out and about at 8.00 on Sundays so I cannot be sure. Is this a regular collection? With overtime it must be expensive. It couldn't have anything to do with the visit from two Officers on Monday morning could it?

Maire Lowe ● 3468d

Two officers from Ealing Council are coming to Acton on Monday morning to see our famous flytips for themselves. We will be walking along Churchfield Road and the High street peering at the streets leading off those roads. If you see us do say Hello. It won't be possible to look at every road so if you have a regular fly tip on your road please take a photo with your oh one and send it to me. Please also taken photos of wheelie bins on the pavement, unswept streets and any other nuisance. If you can take care to ensure you have identified the street, the possible originator of the rubbish that will be useful. This is my third walkabout in a year so I don't promise but I am hopeful. Thank you.

Maire Lowe ● 3469d

Ealing are going to endorse "Love Clean Streets" for submitting fly-tipping reports.Hammersmith & Fulham, Lewisham, City of London and others already use it.I don't have a date for it going live but I think it is close.I was mentioned in the Ealing Corporate Plan for 2016/17.I've installed it today and will go out and report something ...

Paul Webster ● 3486d

Flats do not get food bins or wheelie bins. I live on the High Street and the official place for me to put my bin bags out is by a bin on the High Street.I am up early so can put it out before 7am on bin day, but I am sure many don't.

Gill Hothersall ● 3533d

Oh my word, they must spend most of their day trying to work that lot out!

Jean F Fernandez ● 3533d

I dont think those living in converted upstairs flats want to spend there time with food bins in their living rooms and there is no way to clean them out except in the bath.I also think we are quite lucky with our recycling system - I have just been house sitting for someone in Cornwall. Here is their recycling list:-Black box for glass and textilesClear bag for newspaper and directoriesBlue bag for paperRed bag for cans and plastic bottlesOrange bag for cardboardBlack bags for everything elseFortnightly collection but there are no wheelies and there is no food collection!

Bob Crossley ● 3533d

There was a sheet giving information stuck to the inside lid of the wheelie bin listing what one can throw away. I also had recycling information through my letterbox, but for some it does not matter how much information they are given it would not persuade them to actually recycle properly!Some residents must be just throwing food waste into their black bags because they stink to high heaven between each collection day!I know that many are not keen on using the food waste bins but there is no problem providing they are kept clean (I wash mine weekly) and I line the bin with newspaper (if you don't buy newspapers there is always the Gazette, the Standard and the Metro). I wrap small amounts of food waste in newspaper and keep the bin in a shady place. My food bin does not smell at all.If residents are recycling properly there is no reason to have overflowing black wheelie bins. I am sure Ealing Council would provide a larger wheelie bin for larger families.

Jean F Fernandez ● 3533d

Page 45 of Around Ealing - Autumn 2016 could be just what you need.Our bin came with booklet stuck to lid with schedule and instructions on what goes where.

Paul Webster ● 3533d

What about all the cutting and pasting we have to do in order to get a decent schedule of what goes in each bin? We need downloadable printer friendly information of how to present our waste - and have needed this for years. Other Councils including LBH have had this for years.

Philippa Bond ● 3533d

Surely to goodness in this day and age Ealing Council can come up with a reliable and quick way of reporting fly-tips and so on?Streetwatchers had an email address so all we had to do was send an email listing everything, they gave us a job number and we could check up progress.In June the Council decided to close this email address and we would now be required to navigate the Ealing Council website, 5 pages for each report.This might be simpler for the staff in Ealing Council but certainly not for residents wishing to send a report to the Council.Councillors might deny the fact that the Streetwatchers Scheme has all but been abandoned. Under the previous administration there was a department to deal with reports from Streetwatchers, this was watered down and as I said now abandoned.It makes one wonder whether they really want a cleaner environment, if they do then they are going the wrong way about it.One positive note, the contractors did actually collect all the extra black bags which were piled on top of the overflowing wheelie bins in my street today! So thank goodness someone used their common sense!

Jean F Fernandez ● 3534d

Can you skip any of the pages?

Philippa Bond ● 3534d

I questioned them over this a few weeks ago and also provided them with some information that would help hem integrate better.I did not get detailed feedback but I was tool that they are looking to improve the web reporting tools.I presume that the reason for not wanting to take the report from FixMyStreet is because it then has to be rekeyed (numerous copy/paste) from the email from FMS into the system used by them - plus it does not necessarily capture the information that they want (such as size of items).APIs are available from FMS and there is an example provided by them (from Ozford council I think).

Paul Webster ● 3534d

It's worth trying the fly tip hotline number Bob quotes above. When I've used it, it's been answered straightaway by a human and action taken within 24h. According to Ealing Coucil's own propaganda, even one black bag in the wrong place counts as fly tip. So get phoning, given all other lines of communication are routinely ignored or you get redirected to their clunky website to make a 5 page report...

Peter Millman ● 3534d

Totally agree. On the money there.

Angela White ● 3534d

Jean ,FixMyStreet still exists but is no use to us in Ealing as our council no longer accept reports from them. I didn't know that until I tried to report something on my mobile as it was too difficult to use Ealing's 5 page form. Of course thats all to the councils advantage isn't it? Make it to cumbersome and time consuming to report and the clear up statistics improve droamatically.. There is a phone number to report flytiips, graffitti and emergency street cleansing only. 020 88258825 could be worth a try.

Bob Crossley ● 3534d

They've also set it up so that reports of dangerous road / pavement defects can't be reported.The new policy at Ealing seems to be:1. We won't let you use any user friendly sites or apps to communicate with us2 you can't speak to us3. You can email us but we won't reply in less than 10 working days for most things and even then we probably won't replyI get that the Labour group are a bunch of complete wastrels who long since stopped caring about the area but when the council deliberately makes it almost impossible to report issues that could cause injuries or death you have to start wondering if Cllr Bell et al actually have any conscience on anything.

Ed Yelland ● 3534d

I am sure I read somewhere that fixmystreet is no more otherwise I would have been reporting on there, perhaps someone could let me know the situation?

Jean F Fernandez ● 3534d

Well to me it gives the impression that there is an element trying to hide what is happening. So we can keep on reporting on www.fixmystreet.com so that our neighbours know that it has been noted. We can also communicate with each other on there. LBE however won't accept it as a legitimate report. Reporting on the LBE website feels like ******* in the wind and that is if you have the time to spend wading through it. They could have embraced the www.fixmystreet.com website as other councils have and modified it slightly to suit us all.

Philippa Bond ● 3534d

Perhaps they have decided to bury heads in the sand and ignore all the rubbish and fly-tipped items throughout the borough?I was once very proud to live in Acton but nowadays when we have family visit from overseas I feel ashamed at the state of the place.

Jean F Fernandez ● 3535d

What is the logic behind this?

Bob Crossley ● 3535d

Angela, I reported a fly-tip grot spot in Horn Lane to Acton Police because they very kindly wanted to help reduce the amount of rubbish which is being dumped in our streets.Unfortunately the pile of rubbish has still not been removed, this is lying outside the HSS Hire Shop in Horn between the shop and the alleyway next to the bloack of flats.Now I have no way of knowing whether the contractors have decided that this is the responsibility of HSS Hire Shop because it is partly lying within their boundary, I expect the shop could not care less as I believe they will vacate these premises in October to make way for a Sainsbury's local.Don't tell me we shall have to look at this fly-tipped rubbish until then?I am NOT reporting via the Ealing Council Website and wasting my time filling in ages of details.Acton is now a dump I am sorry to say!

Jean F Fernandez ● 3535d