Litter, flytipping, graffiti and other eyesores

[dippyhippy]

I don't blame them TwoWheels!

I was once emptying one bin into another bin, down the bottom of the garden, when a gust of what I can only describe as 'wind' blew up an empty Kit Kat Chunky (Peanut Butter variety) wrapper.

In the resulting confusion, the swirling wrapper struck me thricely on the noggin.

Suffice to say, from that moment on, I always, always now wear my motorcycle helmet whenever I empty one bin into another bin at the bottom of the garden.

You just don't know when a moment like what happened to me will happen again.

I know what you're thinking...  You're thinking "That wouldn't happen to me, I don't even like Kit Kat Chunky (Peanut Butter Flavour)"  But what if you had a visitor that had eaten a Kit Kat Chunky (Peanut Butter flavour) and that visitor had put the empty wrapper in the bin you were about to empty into another bin at the bottom of your garden?  What then?

Clarkester your attitude towards health and Safety is to be commended.

 

We could all learn an awful lot from you.

[hillbilly]

Full hi-viz AND a hard hat to empty bins - the madness of it all ...

Evening

 

BB staff are supposed to wear full hi-viz and hard hat at all times. It's 'elf and safety innit?! Unfortunately it's easier for them to say everyone must wear it at all times than to expect individuals to carry out on the spot risk assessments. In these litigious times they are erring on the side of caution..

[dippyhippy]

I completely understand what you are saying Hillbilly, but what on earth has happened to common sense and personal responsibility??? If you have had "The Training" and carry "The  Equipment," surely you should be trusted to know which situations would deem it necessary to don "The Kit"???

 

Blimey....I am prone to getting a lot of static shocks....but I don't spend my life in Marigolds!!!

[Ubique]

Have to report that I have seen them wearing all the H and S requirements whilst planting flowers on the Whitecross Roundabout . I tried to get Mrs Ubique to follow suit when she is planting bulbs ........guess what her reply was ? AND she survived - thank goodness!

[Clarkester]

I planted some bulbs once.

60w bayonet they were...

Didn't grow of course, but it looked like Mr Mole down the garden had had an idea...

[dippyhippy]

Did you think they had the potential to "brighten up" your garden, Clarkester...???!!!!!

[Ubique]

You cannot beat the element of surprise - socket to them , apologies for plugging this subject .

[hillbilly]

:-) you lot do make me smile!

[dippyhippy]

We aim to please, Hillbilly!

 

To be honest, it's nice to find posters who have a sense of humour.......following last weeks debarcle!!!

 

It's great to see you contributing........hope you decide to share your thoughts with us on a regular basis!

[hillbilly]

Thank you dippyhippy. I do read a lot of what is posted but sometimes feel like I don't have tons to contribute. I'm learning a lot about politics though! Rest assured I'll comment where I can :-)

[dippyhippy]

Brilliant! That's music to my ears!

 

The thing about this blogging malarkey, is there is usually someone who can answer anything you may not be quite sure about.

 

(And in my case, that's an awful lot!)

 

I've lost count of how many times I've asked Megilleland or Two Wheels something...........and the world and his brother has to help me out with providing links, and technical assistance!

 

Honestly, we are a pretty good bunch on here. We don't always agree....but that's what makes for an interesting discussion. New voices and opinions are always welcomed.......so don't be a stranger!

[Roger]

Today. Opposite Hereford Railway Station.

 

 

The problem opposite the railway station has been resolved. By removing the bin!  Photo taken today! 

 

[megilleland]

Bin fenced off on Great Western Way by Keepmoat development. Unable to use and also unable to be emptied. Surely the fence could have been erected behind the bin.

 

[Denise Lloyd]

The situation is truly awful every where you look there is litter or rubbish or weeds  .  Volunteers will only do so much then they will realise they are being taken for granted by the Council who are forking out millions of our money paying a contractor to do the job the volunteers are doing. Absolute madness.  Surely somebody in the Council can see what is happening to our once beautiful county and rattle a few cages.  There has to come a time surely.

[Ubique]

Walked past the Town Hall this morning , the bench outside the main door leading to the Town Hall was covered in bird droppings, that's the big bird droppings that do bombing runs over High Town. It was apparent that these dropping had been covering the bench for a few days .

I have alway believed that first appearances / impressions count for a lot - when you go into a shop , meet a possible employee/ er ,parents of a lived one etc........plus of course a bench outside the Town Hall . ( I know that it's a little thing in the wider world of problems but ............! )

[Denise Lloyd]

Perhaps the Hereford Times could do a weekly column on it instead of the crap that is sometimes published.  What say you Rebecca/Ben Jess pick an area and follow it through until it is clean and tidy and add an area each week and so on - sounds like a good idea to me. Try shaming them into action

[twowheelsgood]

The situation is truly awful every where you look there is litter or rubbish or weeds  .  Volunteers will only do so much then they will realise they are being taken for granted by the Council who are forking out millions of our money paying a contractor to do the job the volunteers are doing. Absolute madness.  Surely somebody in the Council can see what is happening to our once beautiful county and rattle a few cages.  There has to come a time surely.

 

Ward councillors - where are they? There was a time when they would be shouting long and hard to keep their wards clean tidy and free from potholes. No more it seems - they have clearly given up, which begs the question - what is the point of them? The Cabinet does what it wants regardless, there is no democracy at that level, so councillors just turn up, shut up and take the money. When will someone realise that BBLP are merely contractors who have no allegiance to the County, no interest in it save for what they can make out of it. As such, they need to be watched and held to account at every turn - formally the domain of the feared clerk of works. That does not happen - and why not - and we have what we have. Desperately disappointing.

[megilleland]

Just listened to BBC local radio and the council have cut another million pounds on highway maintenance, so it looks as if we will have weeds growing up through the road as well as along the verges. At the same time Worcestershire have increased their highway maintenance by two million. No doubt we will be hearing from Jesse Norman our man in the Department of Transport?

[Ubique]

Just listened to BBC local radio and the council have cut another million pounds on highway maintenance, so it looks as if we will have weeds growing up through the road as well as along the verges. At the same time Worcestershire have increased their highway maintenance by two million. No doubt we will be hearing from Jesse Norman our man in the Department of Transport?

I heard the same article - what surprised me was Herefordshire CC reply , they reported that they had spent £20 million on our roads, disappointed that the interviewer didn't ask only one more question " Over what period of time ? " Simple question begging an answer .

[DILLIGAF]

AS PER TOPIC.

Today whilst taking the hound out for his obligatory marathon, I came across an awful stench at The Haywood Park carpark off waterfield rd. Unfortunately Maximus found it before I did and began to roll around in it. Not listening to his master he would not come so I went to him. I can only say that I believe it was a well dead large eel or fishlike. I didn’t fancy inspecting it further but there was also something fishy in an Asda bag in situ too. It took two baths for max and a shower for me to eliminate the odour. The house took all afternoon to air and was bloody freezing.

Clearly this has been caught in the lakes and dumped by someone , less than 5m away from a bin and dogbin!!!

I doubt my mutt was the only fragrant one up there today.

I shall definitely keep him on the lead near there tomorrow just to be sure.

[Alex]

Hereford has litter all over the place and as good as it is to see these local groups cleaning up the city nothing is actually being done to prevent people discarding rubbish in the first place.

[adamski]

The"civil enforcement officers", aka traffic wardens, should surely have the powers to issue on the spot fines for littering?

I know the council employ a couple of staff to deal with fly tipping and littering; I also know that one lady recently was handed a £60 fine for discarding a cigarette butt in the street, which I think is great.

[Colin James]

The"civil enforcement officers", aka traffic wardens, should surely have the powers to issue on the spot fines for littering?

I know the council employ a couple of staff to deal with fly tipping and littering; I also know that one lady recently was handed a £60 fine for discarding a cigarette butt in the street, which I think is great.

 

 I agree but in the absence of ID Cards how would this be enforced? 

[adamski]

I'm not sure how the system works Colin, but certain council officers have the necessary powers to impose on the spot fines for littering, dog fouling etc., and as far as I'm aware, their powers are quite significant. You are required to provide your details, as you can be required to do so by an officer of the law, and giving false details is a serious offence.

In an ideal world, it wouldn't be too much of an issue to give such powers to civil enforcement officers. This is, after all, what their title implies.

I'm sure we'd all love to live in a cleaner city!

[megilleland]

Fixed penalty notices: issuing and enforcement by councils

How councils and other authorities issue fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for environmental offences, fine limits and how money can be spent.

 

Fixed penalty notices (FPNs) can be issued to deal with environmental offences like:

   * littering
   * fly-tipping
   * dog control offences
   * graffiti
   * fly-posting
   * nuisance parking (people selling or repairing cars on the road)
   * abandoned vehicles
   * leafleting without permission on land where leafleting is restricted (‘designated land’)
   * failing to nominate a key holder or give the council key holder details in an alarm notification area
   * failing to provide a waste carrier licence (for businesses transporting their own waste)
   * failing to provide a waste transfer note when moving non-hazardous waste
 

[adamski]

Thanks for that megilleland, I find that really interesting. But, only certain designated officers have the power to issue these, as far as I'm aware? My point is that it would be good if the CEOs could issue littering fines. They are the ever present eyes and ears of the council. Surely they could do so much more than stick tickets on cars. Why do we have to have separate staff for dealing with littering?

On another note, one thing that grates sometimes, when signs are put up on posts around our city, albeit for good causes (such as bike rides, walks, runs, duck races etc.), why do very few of them get taken down in a timely fashion?

[Mick]

Fixed penalty notices: issuing and enforcement by councils

 

How councils and other authorities issue fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for environmental offences, fine limits and how money can be spent.

 

Fixed penalty notices (FPNs) can be issued to deal with environmental offences like:

 

   * littering

   * fly-tipping

   * dog control offences

   * graffiti

   * fly-posting

   * nuisance parking (people selling or repairing cars on the road)

   * abandoned vehicles

   * leafleting without permission on land where leafleting is restricted (‘designated land’)

   * failing to nominate a key holder or give the council key holder details in an alarm notification area

   * failing to provide a waste carrier licence (for businesses transporting their own waste)

   * failing to provide a waste transfer note when moving non-hazardous waste

 

 

I only wish they would issue more of these particularly for littering and nuisance parking (on pavements)