Plan to tackle bins 'blighting' town to be explored

The petition suggests fining people who leave their bins on the streets in Tewkesbury town centre

Plans to tackle the issue of wheelie bins "blighting" a historic town centre are set to be explored.

Tewkesbury Borough Council's scrutiny committee will investigate how the council can curb the presence of unsightly bins on the streets after more than 230 people signed a petition calling for action.

Alan Purkiss, chairman of Tewkesbury Civic Society, presented the "bin blight" document at a council meeting where he said they degrade Tewkesbury town centre, devalue properties, block wheelchairs and prams, and put off tourists.

Councillors agreed to set up a working group to address the issue in the town and across the wider borough, with concerns raised about a similar situation in Winchcombe.

The civic society petition urged the council to only provide wheelie bins to those with access to appropriate storage within the town's conservation area.

It suggested using blue bags or community storage for those who do not have space for a bin and asked the authority to consider fining those who leave their bins out on the streets, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"Tewkesbury's unique conservation area is being severely degraded by domestic and increasingly by commercial bins," Mr Purkiss said at the meeting on Tuesday.

"People do and will flee such an environment. Rights of way of prams and wheelchairs are often compromised."

Alan Purkiss said Tewkesbury's "bin blight" is degrading the historic town centre

Independent councillor Mike Sztymiak said: "Bins are a nuisance.

"We spent a million pounds plus on the centre of town and then we go and spoil it by putting bins in front of all these shop windows. It does detract from the area."

Councillors agreed for the issue to be looked at by the overview and scrutiny committee over the next four months, with any proposals to be brought back for approval by full council.