More council rubbish

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Nothing is guaranteed to stir up a bit of agro more than an issue with bins and rubbish collection.
The other week I really thought I had heard it all when a letter dropped through the door from the council warning us not to use the bin on our road for putting rubbish in.
Tower Hamlets Council actually threatened to fine us all for “littering” if we did.
They warned we face an £80 fine if we put anything in the bin on a residential road on the Isle of Dogs, in London.
The letter said this would constitute “a littering offence” and not just that it was also “a totally unnecessary and unacceptable practice”.
What putting litter in the bin? You have got to be having a laugh.
It said it would  make “the road look untidy” and was a “health hazard”.
We would be “committing an offence” and could expect a fixed penalty fine with continuous offenders being taken to court, it warned:
“It has come to the attention of the council that some residents living in Saunders Ness Road are placing their waste in the litter bins opposite the public highway.
“This is a littering offence, which in the view of Tower Hamlets Council is a totally unnecessary and unacceptable practice.
“The practice makes the road look untidy, particularly if this waste is not contained properly.
“In addition it is a health hazard and attracts animals, rats, mice and flies.
“You may or may not be undertaking this practice, but if you are please stop.
“Any person/s found committing this offence will receive a formal caution and then a fixed fine of £80.”
Fuming, I picked up the phone to some “common sense” campaigners to see what they thought about this.
After they had stopped laughing they told me they were “staggered” by this latest example of Big Brother Britain.
Doretta Cocks, of the Campaign for Weekly Waste Collection, said anyone who received a fine should challenge it through the court.
She said: “I have heard it all, this is just a classic.
“It is unbelievable this a form of bullying, have they got a CCTV camera above the bins?
“I thought this new Government was coming down on councils ability to impose fines of this kind of petty offence, if indeed it is an offence.
“I would like somebody to challenge this thought the courts if they are caught.”
Nick Pickles, director of Big Brother Watch, accused the council being “ridiculous”.
He said: “Tower Hamlets Council is displaying a staggering disregard for common sense and this reaction is totally unacceptable.
“If there’s a problem with members of the public not having the facilities to dispose of their household waste, fining them for using the public bins is a ridiculous response to that problem.
“There’s only one word to describe this policy - rubbish.”
One resident added: “What are they going to do, put a camera above the bin or are there people spying to see if anyone uses it.

“I have never seen it overflowing, but whether it is or not, it is scary the council is out there watching your every move waving the threat of fines or court at you.”
I confronted Tower Hamlets Council about it and eventually managed to get a statement from them.
It said: “Tower Hamlets Council takes the cleanliness of its streets very seriously and regularly ensures its streets are clean.”
There we go then, anyone living in Tower Hamlets, if you see this bin -  apparently it is not for putting rubbish in.

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