Ludlow holiday let owners dumping litter, councillor says

The medieval market town is popular to tourists

Holiday let owners in a Shropshire town are dumping litter in the streets to avoid paying for business waste collections, it has been claimed.

Councillor Vivienne Parry said the issue had become a major problem in Ludlow, attracting vermin and putting off visitors.

Shropshire Council has been urged to clamp down on the offending owners and act more quickly to clean up the mess.

The councillor in charge has promised action against the culprits.

Ms Parry said: "Airbnbs and holiday lets are businesses and are asked to pay for rubbish bins.

"They are not doing this, asking people who stay on holiday to take rubbish with them home, but in many cases this does not happen and it is dumped in the waste small black bins on street, or in parks or in the street all over the floor."

Ms Parry added that council waste bin collectors have told her that they have been told not to collect the waste and it stays on the ground for days with vermin running over it.

Other business owners pay £150 a week for their waste to be removed.

Councillor Ian Nellins, member responsible for the environment, promised enforcement action would be taken if the culprits could be identified.

He said: "For traders it is their responsibility to arrange for trade waste collection for which the business is required to pay.

"If these properties are being let via Airbnb, then it would be classified as trade waste."