For the umpteenth time (as many of you will know) I found myself reporting problems with takeaways in Framwellgate Moor today. At least three of them had overflowing bins once again – with boxes and containers lying around or blowing down the street.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I seemed to sufficiently embarrass staff at the one shop for them to take action and clear up their mess – yet it will be the same again in a few days or weeks or months:

The owners need to properly train staff, have sufficient bins and have the common decency to respect our area. Its common sense that if a takeaway bin is overflowing it is a littering and vermin risk. If containers are outside with no lids on half-full of fat they are a fire risk. If packaging is blowing down the street it’s unacceptable.

I know from personal experience that the Council staff we have in various departments work really hard and really care about keeping our area tidy and improving it. I know wardens have been out many times.

However after over twelve months of banging on about it to officers and directors I am struggling to understand how with all the legislation out there we haven’t managed to hit these owners with fines. We need a properly resourced enforcement and legal team with every weapon available. And we need them to have cajones and use those weapons! Up the fines to highest levels possible and have a zero tolerance approach. Where necessary name and shame the offending businesses or shut them down.

If you spot any of the takeaway bins in our area overflowing or takeaway rubbish lying around please photograph it and email it to help@durham.gov.uk with the location/time of the infringement, copying me in. I figure that the only way the Council is going to get hard on these guys is if they are inundated with complaints and photos from the public. Perhaps then the rats in the area might go hungry and our streets will look clean and tidy.

I for one will not be using any of the businesses I see repeatedly leaving our area looking a mess.