'Completely unacceptable': Councillor blasts 'carnage' at Tettenhall Pool as huge amounts of litter left behind after busy bank holiday weekend

Councillor Sohail Khan, of Tettenhall Regis Ward, has blasted the amount of rubbish left behind at Tettenhall Pool, a popular free outdoor pool.

Hundreds have flocked to the outdoor pool in the village of Tettenhall over the late May bank holiday weekend as temperatures soared in Wolverhampton reaching highs of 33C.

Pictures taken by the Express & Star showed hundreds cooling off at the pool on Monday (25 May).

Local councillor Khan visited the pool this morning (Tuesday 26 May) and was disgusted and shocked at the aftermath.

A video, taken by Mr Khan, shows litter strewn across the site.

He said: “I visited Tettenhall Paddling Pool again this morning and, to say it was carnage, would be an understatement. The amount of rubbish left behind was completely unacceptable.

“Litter was scattered across the site and surrounding areas, creating an unpleasant environment for residents and visitors alike. Thank you to the council teams who now have the unenviable task of clearing up after others.”

He added that the pool “is a fantastic facility for everyone to enjoy” but its future is “at risk” if this behaviour continues.

Mr Khan said: “There is large amounts of rubbish that has simply been abandoned. That is not acceptable anywhere in Wolverhampton.

“What concerns me most is that if this behaviour continues, it risks jeopardising the future of the facility itself. Public amenities can only remain open and accessible when they are used responsibly.

“If people continue to abuse the area, there will inevitably be calls for stricter enforcement, restrictions, or other measures that nobody wants to see introduced.”

Mr Khan said he has requested a meeting with the City of Wolverhampton Council to “discuss what further measures can be put in place to improve safety, traffic management and the overall experience for residents and visitors.”

He told the Express & Star: “My message is simple. Enjoy the sunshine, enjoy the paddling pool, but please be considerate, take your rubbish home, park responsibly and treat others with respect.

“If we all play our part, we can ensure that this much loved facility remains a safe and welcoming place for everyone for years to come.”

One user on Facebook commented on Mr Khan’s post stating that the council could have been “more proactive” and planned better “for the demand and how these spaces are used during warm weather.”

The user said: “This could be so much more organised and enjoyable for everyone with the right support in place with pop-up toilets, extra bins across the area, community support officers walking around engaging positively with families and visitors, better traffic and parking management (very limited parking), more activities and community-focused events to create a proper family atmosphere rather than chaos.

“At the same time, we also have to be realistic sadly, some people will always leave rubbish behind. That’s why there should already be a clean-up team ready to go when the sun goes down, getting the site cleared and ready again for the next day.”

City of Wolverhampton Councillor, Qaiser Azeem, said: “We estimate around 4,000 people flocked to Tettenhall Pool over the weekend to bask in the brilliant Bank Holiday weather.

“It is always great to see so many people enjoying this top city attraction that we provide free of charge, however we urge everyone to do so in a responsible and considerate way.

“We ask people to leave the area litter free after they’ve enjoyed it, and if the bins are full during times of such high footfall, to take their excess rubbish home with them.”