FLY TIPPING IGNORED IN BRENT BECAUSE BANANAS BUREAUCRACY

9.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 4th Sep 2003

Liberal Democrat Brent East by-election candidate Sarah Teather today wrote to local council officials to demand action to tackle the fly tipping on the corner of Kings Road and Harlesden Road.

Local residents have told Ms Teather that every time they contact the council to report the fly-tipping they have to specify each item that has been dumped. The contractors take so long to arrive to pick up the fly-tipped waste most of it cannot be collected because there has been more recently dumped rubbish and is not on the form that the contractors have got in front of them from the Council.

Sarah Teather said:

"This is a case of bureaucracy gone bananas. Not only is this a waste of residents time and energy having to re-report fly-tipping, but it costs tax-payers more money and makes the area look worse.

"Fly-tipping is dangerous, unsightly and a health hazard. It s an insult to local residents when contractors simply ignore fly-tipped rubbish because it is not on their job sheet. Contractors should be taking pride in the local community and making sure that the streets are clean and safe for the people of the borough.

ENDS