The council recently installed a large new communal bin at one fly-tipping hotspot in Enfield Town, reports Sienna Mahoney and James Cracknell
Enfield Council is installing a trial communal bin in an attempt to tackle fly-tipping in Enfield Town – but is also being urged to increase street cleaning services to combat the problem.
The 660-litre community bin is now situated on the pavement in Little Park Gardens, near Saddlers Square.
It comes after local people complained about littering and illegal waste dumping in and around the square, which was opened last year as a new public seating area with planting in the town centre.
Sarah Pingiori, a resident since 2014, said: “When we first moved in, I hadn’t noticed anything. It seemed a lot cleaner.
“To now have to walk past soiled nappies and loose rubbish just to go to the shops is disgusting.”
The opposition Labour group have also accused the new minority Conservative administration – in power since the end of May – of not taking advantage of additional government funding to launch a crackdown on fly-tipping.
Ian Barnes, the council’s shadow cabinet member for environment, said: “The Conservatives campaigned on a promise to ‘clean up Enfield’. Before the election, [Tory leader] Cllr Georgiou regularly highlighted fly-tipping in campaign videos. Since taking office, he has been noticeably quieter on the illegally dumped rubbish on our streets. Residents are entitled to ask why.
“Enfield Labour will continue to hold this administration to account. We will be writing to council officers, Cllr Georgiou and Cllr Alexandrou to seek answers on street cleaning, park maintenance and waste services, and we will continue to keep residents informed.”
Maria Alexandrou, the council’s cabinet member for environment, said: “Our new administration was elected on a clear commitment to clean up Enfield and deliver the reliable services that residents deserve.
“People want cleaner streets, less fly-tipping, and waste collection services they can depend on, and we are working on a number of initiatives to achieve these goals.”
In response to concerns raised about Saddlers Square and Little Park Gardens specifically, as well as the new communal bin there also new signs warning about potential fines for fly-tipping of up to £1,000.
However, the problem is also visible on the nearby New River Loop, where birds can often be seen using litter in their nests. Sarah said: “Seeing birds swimming with food wrappers and nesting in plastic is just really sad.”
Cllr Alexandrou said: “We work closely with residents, our street cleansing teams and waste enforcement officers to tackle fly-tipping and littering across the borough.
“Where evidence is identified in fly-tipped waste, we carry out thorough investigations and take appropriate enforcement action wherever possible.
“We have also recently replaced 500 litter bins across Enfield as part of our ongoing commitment to ensure bins are located where they are most needed, helping to keep our neighbourhoods cleaner.”
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