No fines in opening weeks of pavement bin crackdown

No fines were given out in the first few weeks of a new council scheme aimed at clamping down on bins blocking pavements in part of Derby, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed.

Derby City Council announced in May that fines would be issued to people leaving their bins out unnecessarily on four streets in the Mackworth and New Zealand ward.

However the FOI request showed no fines had been issued up to 11 June, and residents in the ward have told the BBC that bins remain a "huge issue".

The Labour-run authority said it had seen a "significant reduction" in bins being left out following the scheme's launch and two fines had been issued since the period covered by the FOI request.

One resident said the issue had been ongoing for 10 to 15 years

The scheme has been introduced for Peel Street, Richardson Street, Stanley Street and Howe Street in the ward.

But Mackworth and New Zealand councillor Gaurav Pandey questioned the council's approach to tackling the problem.

The Conservative councillor said: "I'm not in favour of this process. We should bring out a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), which will mean that anyone leaving the bins outside will get fined.

"But it's not a problem specific to our ward. We need wider consultation on this and we need to treat this problem as a complex one."

Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, the council's cabinet member for streetpride, public safety and leisure, said: "Public Protection Officers have been enforcing Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 on a small number of streets in the city.

"The streets involved in the pilot have seen a significant reduction in bins being left out, with 89% of households now complying.

"The pilot process involves engagement with residents, education and enforcement, which must take place within set timeframes.

"We are now at the point where enforcement action can be taken, which includes issuing fixed penalty notices – two of which have been issued this week. We will continue to carry out enforcement action where appropriate."

Councillor Gaurav Pandey said the fining process was not working

Issues cited by residents including foul smells from bins left on the pavements and less space for pedestrians.

Speaking to the BBC, residents living on nearby Stepping Lane - which is not currently part of the council's pilot scheme - spoke of their frustration.

Mary Lynne Gibson said she was "absolutely fed up" with the rubbish attracting vermin.

"It's a big issue. A nightmare," the 69-year-old said.

"I've got grandchildren who go to the nursery. You can't get a double push chair down the pavement. Some places you can't get a single push chair down the pavement.

"You can't get a mobility scooter up and down and you are knowingly putting children at risk by having to use the road.

"We've seen rats around and we never had that before. This has been going on for probably 10 to 15 years."

'Going backwards'

Another resident, who did not want to give her name, said: "It's a huge issue. When you have a single pushchair and you're walking up the street, all the bins on almost all the houses are out.

"A lot of the time I have to walk on the road, and I've got an autistic daughter who's seven. For her, it's a big problem.

"She ends up having a big meltdown, and when you try to walk in the road the cars are usually doing 40mph. It's not safe at all."

Andy Broughton, 61, who has lived in Stepping Lane for 16 years, said: "We had letters about eight years ago and things got better.

"Then came the elections, change of people in charge at the council house and it all went backwards again. It's a disgrace."

Clarification 27 June: This article has been updated to make it clear that Stepping Lane is not within the pilot area.