Coventry volunteer litter picker says clean streets "fundamental right" as council urged to scrap cut

A pile of rubbish including wood panels between a gap in a fence in Coventry
-Credit:Frank Beechey


Coventry volunteers cleared over 60kg of fly-tipping only for the same amount to be there the next day, a campaigner has said. Resident Frank Beechey urged leaders to scrap plans to reduce council street cleaning budgets yesterday, 27 January.

He said he regularly goes out with clean-up groups and cutting funding "will undermine everything that's being done already." "Would you want your children with vermin-infested rubbish near their schools and their playgrounds?" he told the meeting.

Mr Beechey, who ran as a Conservative candidate for Wyken in last year's elections, acknowledged "some progress has been made" with cameras set up and a rise in the maximum fine for fly-tippers. He added: "Prevention will save you money in the long run.

ADVERTISEMENT

READ MORE:

Brazen fly-tippers warned of new major fines as Coventry City Council says 'they will be caught'

Coventry will become 'dumping ground' campaigners fear amid planned cuts

"A clean city attracts business, we know it does, it boosts tourists and it enhances our quality of life. It shouldn't be a luxury - it's a fundamental right to have clean streets."

Campigner Frank Beechey stands next to a pile of flytipping, including bin bags and a fridge, dumped on a street corner in Coventry.
Campaigner Frank Beechey is opposing cuts to street cleaning budgets in Coventry -Credit:Frank Beechey

More than 200 people have signed a petition calling on the council to abandon the move. If it goes ahead the Labour-led authority will save £700,000 per year but fly-tipping could rise, a report warned.

The meeting was held to discuss petitions against three of the council's proposed cuts to public services. Mr Beechey's appeal was supported by Conservative councillor Tim Sawdon.

Cllr Sawdon (Wainbody) claimed slashing the funding would be "counterproductive" as not clearing up fly-tipping and graffiti leads to more of the problem.

ADVERTISEMENT

Fly-tipping "hurts" but city "can't just keep picking up bill"

Boards and a sofa fly-tipped on the green in the middle of the Manor Farm estate in Coventry. Pictured 29/8/24.
Boards and a sofa fly-tipped on the green in the middle of the Manor Farm estate in Coventry. Pictured 29/8/24. -Credit:Ian Rogers

Director for City Services and Commercial, Andrew Walster, thanked Frank and volunteers for work they do for the city. "I agree with lots of what you said and lots of what you said in the petition as well," he said, adding that he can "see exactly where you're coming from."

But he said the council in its budget-setting must look at taking money from where they spend it. Nearly £7 million goes on cleaning up the city's streets and fly-tipping and the move would be a 10% cut to the service.

He said members will need to make a decision on this at budget-setting next month. Cabinet Member for Finance, Cllr Richard Brown (Cheylesmore, Lab), will present the final budget plan at the meeting in February.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cllr Brown recalled his own experiences trying to help tackle the problem of fly-tipping. "In the past I've given up my Sunday mornings and gone down Leaf Lane and filled bag after bag after bag with it, and the next day it's back again.

"It hurts, I get that." But he also said the council can't tackle the problem alone.

Cllr Brown told of an occasion when he had seen children throw litter out of the back of a car that had stopped in traffic. "It just made me wonder, what sort of message is going on there, if Mum and Dad allow that kind of thing," he said.

"And it's got to be bigger than us, because we at the council can't just keep picking up the bill for this[.]" He added: "It should not have to fall on local councils and volunteer groups like yourselves to be able to do this."