'Our Streets' campaign targets Droylsden in big clean-up swoop

Tameside’s ‘Our Streets’ campaign has been launched to crack down on littering and fly-tipping.

The campaign is aiming to end rubbish excuses for littering and fly-tipping, and instead encouraging people to responsibly dispose of anything no longer useful to them.

The aim is to bring Tameside Council and local communities together as they work to tidy the area so residents can be proud of the place in which they live.

The initiative was launched at the start of August in Ashton followed by a day of action in Droylsden town centre.

Councillors and officers converged on Villemomble Square at 10.30am before setting out on a mission to patrol the streets and remove litter and fly-tipping in the area as well as carrying out any enforcement action.

In total, 13 waste duty of care checks were carried out at local businesses with follow-ups to be repeated at three of the premises where waste contracts were not in place.

An off licence was found to be in breach of several conditions of their licence after a compliance visit, with the licence and alcohol sales suspended until these matters are rectified.

Rubbish was cleared from Arbroath Street, Edge Lane, Kershaw Street, Nelson Drive and Craven Street.

Fixed penalties are to be served on two offenders after evidence was found in dumped waste, and Trading Standards and Greater Manchester Police attended after council officers investigated an abandoned vehicle that was seized containing a large quantity of cannabis, 3,000 illicit cigarettes and 38 packets of rolling tobacco inside.

Cllr Gerald Cooney, leader of Tameside Council and a councillor in Droylsden, said: “I don’t think anyone can’t say that we’re not noticing the increase of fly-tipping.

“Something has to happen. We need better enforcement, which is what we’re tightening up on, we will take action on anyone fly-tipping. We need to start being more rigorous prosecuting people who are blighting the areas that we live in.

“There is an excellent tip in Droylsden, but the amount of fly-tipping still going on is out of order. I’ve even seen stuff next to the tip or near the tip, why don’t people just take it in to the tip? I’ve got to say, most people do it correctly, but there’s one or two rogues who are causing a problem for us all.”

He urged people to ‘use the tip, recycle, and if you see littering or fly-tipping going on anywhere report it.’

As well as being an eyesore, littering and fly-tipping can be a major health hazard.

It can cause unpleasant smells or pollution, attracts infestations of pests and create a generally dangerous environment for children, pets and wildlife in particular.

One volunteer helping to clear the rubbish in Droylsden said: “It’s every week. I’m here once a week, sometimes twice a week. It’s just an everyday occurrence. We’re constantly having to move a load of rubbish and fly-tipping off Craven Street which has just been dumped.”

The most common finds tend to be food waste, packets of food or fastfood boxes, strewn along the sides of the roads, which always attract maggots and rats.

On our arrival at Craven Street, we were greeted by piles of black bin bags lining the pavement, lying in summer sun and luring pests in broad daylight. The air was tinged with all sorts of dreadful smells.

It was here the abandoned car packed with drugs was discovered alongside items of discarded furniture that could easily have been used but had been abandoned by the road despite their reasonable condition.

As the campaign continues, and more people get involved, it is hoped local areas will gradually see improvements.