By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
People who leave their dustbins out could be hit with a fine in Tewkesbury in future as council chiefs consider how to solve the problem which is “blighting” its historic town centre.
More than 230 people signed a petition earlier this year calling for a solution to the medieval market town’s “bin blight”.
Alan Purkiss, chairman of Tewkesbury Civic Society, who presented the petition at a meeting on June 24 said the unhygienic problem degrades the town, deters tourists, hurts business and, devalues property as well as blocking passages for wheelchairs and prams.
The calls for wheelie bins to only be issued within the town’s conservation area where residents have the storage space on their property and commit to use it.
They suggest using blue bags or community storage for those who do not have space for a wheelie bin.
Now a working group has been established by Tewkesbury Borough Council to find a solution to the problem.
They will consider the petition’s requests which includes potentially using available enforcement powers such as issuing fixed penalty notices to those who do not properly store residential and commercial bins.
Councillor Matt Dimond-Brown (G, Tewkesbury South), who presented the report at Tuesday’s (July 22) overview and scrutiny committee meeting, said: “This is rather novel. This is a petition to rid Tewkesbury of bin blight.”
He said it was presented at full council and such petitions could go to committees such as overview and scrutiny.
“On that basis, a recommendation is that we form a working group,” he said.
He said he would be part of the group along with Councillor Philip Workman (I, Tewkesbury North and Twyning) and asked for volunteers to join.
“I’m looking for volunteers for people who are prepared to sit on his working group and take things forward.
“If we don’t get any volunteers we might have to reconsider how we take this forward.”
Councillor Hilarie Bowman (G, Tewkesbury East) volunteered and Cllr Workman encouraged the rest of councillors to say it would be a short term event resolved by January.
“It won’t be terribly onerous for those who don’t want to commit themselves to anything too much,” he said.
Cllr Dimond-Brown said they would be focusing on Tewkesbury town centre’s heritage zone but many of the issues they identify could be applied elsewhere in the borough.
“If you have problems of similar nature in your wards, this might be something worthwhile engaging with so the lessons learned can be applied in your areas,” he said.
Cllr Dimond-Brown said they would put a request out for a couple of weeks if any more councillors wish to join in.
Cllr Bowman said that while the petition was for Tewkesbury there was talk of Winchcombe also being included.
“I agree,” Cllr Dimond-Brown. “It’s going to start with Tewkesbury and as we said at full council.
“If we then learn a lot in Tewkesbury that can be applied in places like Winchcombe then we do that as a second phase of this.”
The overview and scrutiny committee will consider the working group report by the end of November and make a recommendation to council.