Litter pickers blame red tape for closure
A community group running regular litterpicks on a Tipton estate has blamed red tape for its closure, after spending eight months transforming the area.
A community group running regular litterpicks on a Tipton estate has blamed red tape for its closure, after spending eight months transforming the area.
The local tenants and residents group set up the Cotterills Farm Litterbugs in 2007, but it was forced to close after being faced with a £500 insurance bill and told members would need Criminal Records Bureau checks and tetanus jabs. Organiser Chris Lee said it was extremely frustrating and impossible to continue when faced with so much red tape.
The 62-year-old, who is secretary of the Cotterills Farm Tenant Management Co-Operative said: "I have been running Guides and Brownie packs for years and have run playgroups in Germany Belgium and Pakistan, but you can't do anything now without red tape and health and safety legislation getting in the way.
"We were making a big difference and the youngsters loved it."
Chris said that it was only when she tried to find out how best to protect youngsters taking part that she was told she was flouting rules and regulations.
She said: "The group had been running for eight months without any problems, but I wanted to double check whether we would be covered if anything went wrong.
"Then I was told that what we were doing was not allowed.
"I was told we would need to have CRB checks, pay around £500 for insurance, tell parents their children would need tetanus jabs and have a minimum of one adult present for every four children taking part.
"We never knew how many people would be turn up for each session, so it was impossible to know how many youngsters would need chaperoning. We would also be unable to open sessions up to the whole community if everyone taking part needed a Criminal Records Bureau check.
"In the end we had no choice but to call it a day."
They will carry out one last collection on Sunday as part of Sandwell Council's Big Spring Clean campaign - covered by council insurance. Anyone who would like to take part should meet at 11am outside the Tenant Management Office in Walker Street, Tipton.
