Fly-tippers are turning a Tipton car park into a dangerous mess even though it is part-owned by Sandwell Council, it has been claimed.
It is at the former Kwik Save in Market Place, Great Bridge. Mac Beckley says it is becoming a haven for rats because of the amount of rubbish dumped there.
He said that the number of mattresses, fridges, and discarded items of furniture was growing on a daily basis but that none of his complaints to Sandwell Council’s property and environmental health departments had resulted in any action being taken.
“It strikes me as a health hazard, and I can’t believe that nothing is being done about the problem when the site is at least part-owned by Sandwell Council,” he said.
“Surely they are responsible for taking enforcement action to clean up the site, and on the grounds that they are the co-owners of it, there must be something that can be done.”
Despite the closure of the supermarket in May, when dozens of other branches of the budget chain shut, the car park is still in use and has no barriers blocking drivers from entering.
Sandwell Council said that the issue of who was responsible for cleaning up the car park was not as straightforward as Mr Beckley suggested but that remedies were being sought.
Cabinet member Councillor Mahboob Hussain, who is responsible for neighbourhoods and housing in the borough, said environmental health officers were looking into the situation.
“The majority of this site is in private ownership,” he said.
3 Comments
Sandwell Council will not do anything unless they have evidence of people dumping. There are loads of places like this in Sandwell. I’ve seen many rats on numerous occasions. I’m just waiting for the great infestation, when the rubbish collection schedules are changed.
why not just call it the new public because thats a pile of rubbish as well,sandwell council don’t give a dam about tipton folk bring back tipton and rowley council local people then the jobs might get done.
This is shameful electioneering. Why should we taxpayers pay to clear up junk which selfish gits dump? Why does the Express & Star waste time printing the blatant advertising of a wannabe politician?
If communities think it’s a big enough problem, they should clear it up themselves.
I don’t drop litter nor dump my junk on the street, so I don’t expect my tax to be spent cleaning up the mess of others.
It’s far too easy to just “blame the council”. Blaming society involves each and everyone of us looking at our own behaviour, and what we tolerate others to do to us.