Plea for help to stop fly-tipping in Wolverhampton street
A Wolverhampton pensioner has called out for help from the city council to stop people fly-tipping near his home.
Sonny Campbell has made the appeal to Wolverhampton Council to take action to stop people dumping rubbish on the land near his home on Sutherland Road.
The 88-year-old said the fly-tipping had been going on for nearly three years, but had got worse during the last few months.
He said: "I've seen sofas, fridges, freezers and even bath tubs dumped on the land nearby, with someone dumping five sofas on the road just last week.
"The council have come over and removed things in the past as I explained to them that I was unable to get out of my garage, but people have just come back and dumped more things on the roadside.
"I saw a white car the other night and thought nothing of it, but came out the next morning and found mirrors on the ground."
Mr Campbell said he thought that the fact that Sutherland Road was a secluded cul-de-sac meant that people thought they could get away with it, and said he wanted to have a camera installed on the telegraph pole outside his house.
He said: "I think it would help a great deal to have the camera set up on that pole to ensure people get caught and I would also like to see people patrolling the area to make sure it can't happen.
"I just want something to happen to stop this mess as I've paid a lot for my wall and my garden and I want to be able to live here without dealing with this mess."
Councillor Steve Evans, cabinet member for city environment at Wolverhampton Council, said: “We take fly tipping seriously and are happy to work with residents to help catch those selfish inconsiderate people who do it and cause neighbourhoods to look unsightly.
"While the council places CCTV based on intelligence and suitability, we will always encourage residents to contact us with information about those who commit fly tipping to enable us to prosecute.
"Where we have cleared areas before, they are often filled with rubbish and waste again soon after, which is very frustrating.
"Which is why working with others – residents and local police - to capture evidence and get eyewitness accounts helps us to take formal legal proceedings.
"We will not hesitate to take offenders to court which can result in a large fine or even a custodial sentence, as a minimum we will issue a Fixed Penalty Notice of £400.
"New measures include projects to be launched this autumn, includes the Pesky Blighters campaign - which is part of the Shop-a-Tipper programme – along with educational work with residents to help and support them to dispose of waste correctly."
