Regular readers of this blog may remember our campaigning last summer in support of residents living in the University area who's streets had become a dumping ground.
Every year around the end of the University term residents report problems to us about rubbish going uncollected, bulky waste being dumped in gardens etc.
We regularly raise this issue with Reading Borough Council and have been doing so since 2006 - but still the response on the ground has been lacking.
Reading University has got slightly better on this issue, working more closely with the Students Union, but we have consistently argued that there could be a lot more joint-working between the University and the Council to reduce the nuisance caused to local residents.
We have also actively campaigned for enforcement action to be taken against people who dump rubbish on our streets.Our local Police team have backed us on this issue which has been great.
The scrutiny review I led into private rented housing, in conjunction with my colleague Cllr Ricky Duveen (Lib Dem Chair of the Environment Scrutiny Panel), last year, made a number of recommendations to the Council and local universities in Reading in the area of improving our street environment.
The Labour Cabinet in Reading endorsed pretty much all of our recommendations. However, we are monitoring what the Labour administration does closely to ensure our recommendations are followed up for the benefit of residents.
Last year our long-running campaign for a cleaner, greener Redlands was boosted by the efforts of a great constituent of ours called Rebecca. Rebecca was sick to death of living in a rubbish tip - she persistently raised this with the Council, her councillors and her local MP.
Rebecca is attending full Council this evening to ask a public question to the Lead Member for the Environment. Her question is the first on the list of questions tonight and she is the second Redlands constituent who has raised Streetcare issues in Council in this way. Her question is as follows:
"Since the summer of 2009 Redlands ward has had issues with excess rubbish in front gardens and on the street due to the increase of tenanted properties in the area. There have been many complaints about this area turning into a slum directly to the Council via email or through the Call Centre identifying the addresses that are offending and causing an increase in vermin on the streets in some areas.
Despite all the promises by the Council to tackle these problems they are still ongoing and residents should not have to bear the brunt, as taxpayers.
What further action does the Council plan to take working with the University and landlords to ensure residents are not forced to live in these conditions every year and suffer the health and hygiene consequences of the increase in vermin?"
Great question, Rebecca. Over to you, Labour!
Comments