Council Crack Down On Chiswick 'Grime Crime'

Did not have enough staff to take enforcement action on domestic waste

Hounslow Council issued eighty-four fixed penalty notices in relation to rubbish on Chiswick High Road last year but has admitted it did not have enough staff to take action against those not obeying the rules on domestic waste until recently.

Despite issuing 474 flats on the High Road last April with letters warning them that 'non compliance' with the rules on rubbish would lead to Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs), the Council was unable to take action as they did not have the staff to enforce the order.

The council has now appointed three enforcement officers who are visiting the High Road to monitor domestic waste collection twice a week, and where necessary to issue
issue Section 46 notices / FPNs.

Flatdwellers and businesses in Chiswick will now be targeted by teams from Hounslow Council to ensure they are following the correct procedures for rubbish being collected, following months of complaints about the state of the High Road.

A report by LBH to be presented next week to councillors at the Chiswick Area Forum (Nov 11th) shows how the Council intends to crack down and take enforcement action against residents and businesses not following the rules.

The Council says it will introduce weekend monitoring on CHR to deal with waste issues arising outside normal working hours. It says it will target problem areas such as Devonshire Road and has tasked the new officers ( two of whom started on October 20th) with conducting a preliminary investigation into how a trial of time banding collections for both domestic and commercial waste might work.

"Residents living in flats above shops should not be placing rubbish out in black sacks, and where this is the case, enforcement action will be taken if evidence is seen.

"Businesses in the area should all have a contract in place for the removal of their business waste. This is being checked by officers from the council and Hounslow Highways where evidence is seen that businesses may be placing their rubbish out in black sacks. Enforcement action will be taken against businesses placing their waste out incorrectly."

In addition fixed penalty notices for littering are being issued to those seen dropping litter or placing sacks of rubbish in the street.

The report to the CAF says that as a result of recent action, the level of flytipping has improved, and that residents who had complained, particularly about the Cranbrook Road area had agreed things were improving. Hounslow Highways said they had completed 22 'action days' on CHR since last December and visited 84 commercial premises in the area.

4 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued in the past year for failure to produce authority (Waste Transfer Notes) relating to Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Below are some images of rubbish seen recently which led to complaints from local people about the state of Chiswick's streets.

If you would like to report a fly tip please visit  www.hounslowhighways.org/56-fly-tipping.html

If you have concerns about rubbish being placed out incorrectly, please contact the recycling team recycling@hounslow.gov.uk or 020 8583 2000 .

November 4, 2014