Clean-up ordered over rubbish dumping ground near shops

That's the verdict from business owners fed up with land being used as a dumping ground near a row of shops.

Tyres, buckets and fence panels are among the pile of waste which has prompted enforcement action from Sandwell Council.

It follows complaints from businesses in Tividale Road, at Burnt Tree, in Tividale, over the state of the land.

Now council officials have demanded the site, off Hopkins Street, is cleared up within six weeks.

The unnamed landowner have been issued with a warning letter from the authority.

Businesses have also complained about a build up of rubbish on Tividale Road which followed removal of a roadside bin.

Basharat Khan, from ACE Travel & Money Transfer on Tividale Road, said: "They removed the bin at the front and there is fly-tipping at the back.

"We are in the middle of a rubbish tip.

"The guys who took the bin six months ago promised the bin would be replaced.

"The rubbish is affecting our businesses.

"When people see the rubbish on the street, they will be thinking 'what has this place come to?'

"There was a bin here which was rusting away.

"They took that bin away and said they would replace it.

"Customers of the takeaways nearby just dump the rubbish on the street.

"There is a smell and stench coming from the rubbish at the back."

While the council has acted upon the concerns regarding the fly-tipping, there are no plans to replace the bin.

Deputy council leader, Councillor Maria Crompton, said: "The council has sent a Section 215 letter to the owner of private land off Hopkins Street asking them to take steps to tidy up the land within six weeks.

“The litter bin is not being replaced as there are four bins along this street, including one within 20 metres of where the damaged bin was located.

“Obviously people shouldn’t be dropping litter in the first place, it’s really inexcusable.

“Our cleaning team does monitor this area closely, visiting two to three times a week.”