A typical scene on Erleigh Road: excess waste dumped on the pavement in the heart of the University area
Following our recent campaign calling for more action to clean up the University area we have (belatedly) received this response from Reading University's Community Relations Manager, Ann Westgarth which explains the University's appraoch to the problem:
"I share your concern about the amount of rubbish in the area and the University, the Students’ Union, Streetcare and local residents have been working together to try to alleviate the problem. There is no doubt that some of it is generated by students leaving their privately rented properties but not all. I have just cross-referenced the list of properties that you’ve provided and 43% of them are not addresses listed on the University’s database as student addresses.
You are probably aware that one of our approaches has been to provide students with information about dealing with their excess waste via our Moving Out packs which were delivered to 600 student households in June. In addition, the Council provided two additional waste collections on two Saturdays during the busy change-over period. These packs are hand-delivered, not just pushed through letter-boxes and those delivering them knock on doors in order to speak to students directly. Those delivering the packs include volunteer students, myself, local residents and Streetcare officers. Our experience is that many students are grateful for the information: they are often the keenest recyclers. However, this is quite a time-consuming operation. It is therefore additionally frustrating for all of us that there is still unsightly and residual rubbish around in spite of these efforts and the follow-up actions by Streetcare and Refuse Collection services. We have reviewed the effectiveness of our actions and will consider any suggestions as to how things can be improved.
I do agree with you that much of the responsibility lies with landlords, although, again, they are not all to blame. However, the private-rented market to students is a lucrative one and what we cannot and should not do is meet the cost of clearing away rubbish that is the responsibility of the landlord of the property. When I was out recently ‘inspecting’ the area, I came across a couple of households which students had recently moved in to. When I spoke to them about the mess in their front gardens they told me about the problems they had encountered since moving in. Their bins were so full of the rubbish generated by the landlord ‘preparing’ the property for them, they had no means of disposing their own waste properly. Well-intentioned as they are, they are renting for the first time and are unsure about how to tackle their landlord. They were as disgusted as anyone else by the mess...Please be assured that from the University’s point of view we will continue to play an active role in tackling these problems throughout the year as well as at the change-over time."
While there is no doubt that the University is taking a more active role these days in relation to issues affecting the local community, as my recent posts have highlighted we feel there is more the University could be doing to work with Reading Borough Council and landlords to reduce waste around the University area of Reading.
We feel the University should show more corporate social responsibility - to use the jargon - or, put simply it should behave more as a good neighbour to local people.
Only recently has community relations even got on to the University's agenda, with the appointment of a community relations manager in 2006 following sustained pressure from the Lib Dems combined with regular bad press about anti-social behaviour problems.
Before this the University took a very much 'off campus - out of mind' approach which included failing to adaquately consult residents over a number of controversial planning applications on the University campus, including one to build a hotel.
Ms Westgarth, in her response above declares that 'what [the University] cannot and should not do is meet the cost of clearing up rubbish which is the responsibility of the landlord of the property'.
This may be reasonable in principle but I see no reason at all why the University could not offer some support to our already over-stretched Streetcare team either by sponsoring a skip at the end of term, for example, or part-funding a dedicated Environmental Liaison officer for the University area.
This was one of the key recommendations made by the cross-Party scrutiny review into private rented housing in Reading which was subsequently endorsed in full by Labour-run Reading Borough Council's ruling Executive.
Adopting such an approach would have the added benefit of being a relatively straightforward way of the University enhancing it's own local reputation with residents.
I would have thought some positive local press would be much sought after by the University following a series of unpopular decisions which were taken by the University recently including closing the Schools of Continuing Education and Health and Social Care.
Expecting (as the University apparently seems to) local residents, Council officers, and students to "volunteer" to be part of teams helping to clean up the University area may be cost-effective for the University but does send out the right message, as far as we're concerned, about sharing the burden of responsibility of keeping the University-area neighbourhood clean and green.
Judging by the state of some streets around the University this year and the feedback we have received lately this approach does not seem to me to be enough to ensure that local streets are kept tidy and free of rubbish.
And, the burden in terms of cost falls on to the Council and the local Council Tax Payer. In fact the burden on taxpayers is double because not only are they paying for rubbish to be taken away by the Council but they are forced to live in streets which are full of rubbish. Not ideal.
On a positive note, we are pleased that Ms Westgarth has publicly aknowledged that there is still room for improvement in relation to the University's approach to reducing waste at the end of terms in particular.
One obvious "quick win" for next year would be to ensure that extra sack collections coincide with when students actually leave Reading for the end of term.
UPDATE:
My constituent, Rebecca, who recently wrote to me and others calling for action on this issue has since responded to Ms Westgarth:
"...I am sure that you appreciate that it is frustrating for the Council Tax Payer residents to put up with living in an area that is slowly turning into a 'Student Ghetto' by the increase of HMO's in the area, who in turn ultimately pay the price, I just don't want to have to complain at this level next year and if the University can come up with a support Strategy for the Students who live off Campus and work with also supporting the Council to deliver a strategy, I am sure that this would be greatly appreciated by the people who live permanently in the area and understand that it will not tackle the privately, non student, tenants/residents who also do not clear up after themselves. Daisy Benson - Lib Dem Councillor has supported myself and other residents in escalating our complaints directly to the Council and MP Rob Wilson has been in contact as well and advised me that this should be prevented from happening again.
I have to admit that before getting a dog 3 months ago - never really took much notice of the rubbish as it is easy to turn a blind eye when you are not personally affected, but do hope that the University and the Council can endeavour to prevent this problem re-occurring."
Great article! Thanks for posting!
Posted by: paul | July 30, 2009 at 07:48 PM