Anger over flytipping in Churchill Gardens in Bournemouth

Flytipping issues in a part of Bournemouth has left residents in tears and threats issued on the doorstep over the ongoing scourge.

People who live in and around Churchill Gardens in Boscombe have been dealing with the worsening flytipping for years, they say.

And despite community leaders pledging to tackle the issue, rubbish still continues to be dumped in the area.

One man, who has been highlighting the scale of the flytipping on social media, said: "It's been quite a difficult situation with the waste since the communal bins were introduced four or five years ago.

"I have been in touch with Cllr Jane Kelly on numerous occasions over this period highlighting the numerous things that have happened with the waste around the gardens, with not much being done until recently when I started putting loads of photographs up online.

"We’ve had car bonnets in bins, we've had car doors, we've had engines. There was one bin that was full of brick waste.

"I found several loads of asbestos dumped around the square and on many occasions I've found hazardous waste in the bins.

"The thing with asbestos is, this is a children's play park, this is just so wrong. So wrong. I think I've found asbestos dumped around this square, three or four times.

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He added: "There wasn't any flytipping around the square before the communal bins came in.

"It's quite upsetting to see people coming to your square, where you live and dump their rubbish and there is nothing you can do about it. Our square is a rubbish tip and it's not pleasant.

"We have a good community and it does affect people around here. They're sick of it.

"I must've reported 40 or 50 different incidents of fly tipping."

He believes there are several ways that BCP Council could solve the issue including smaller bins, fewer bins and more collections.

Cllr Bobbie Dove, portfolio holder for Community Safety and Regulatory Services said: “The Council’s contractors have been investigating all reported fly-tips across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and patrolling in hotspot areas including Churchill Gardens as part of a 12 month pilot, recording locations to inform future planning.

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“Evidence found within the waste may be used in enforcement action by way of fixed penalty notice or prosecution and any evidence submitted by local residents following an incident, such as vehicle registrations, will be fully investigated and strong action taken on those found guilty of fly-tipping.

“Further meetings will be held with residents in the area to identify any additional measures. In the meantime we urge all residents to manage their waste responsibly by depositing in the correct bin, taking it to the local waste and recycling centres or employing a reputable and lawful waste collection company. Waste left on the ground next to bins or in other public areas is not acceptable and we must all work to ensure our streets and waters remain free of rubbish.”

When contacted by the Daily Echo, Ward Cllr Jane Kelly declined to comment. The Daily Echo also contacted Councillor Lewis Allison.