Coventry will be turned into ‘dumping ground’ say campaigners amid planned council cuts to its clean-up service. Among the proposals to help save funds, the city council is contemplating reducing its cleaning service.
This, it says, will save more than £2m over the next three years. But campaigners say that this will do more harm than good.
They are so concerned that they have set-up a petition to urge the council to reconsider its proposal. So far, more than 150 locals have signed the petition, which is on the council’s website.
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The petition urges the council to cut fly-tipping, not the service itself. It reads: “We petition the council to abandon its reckless and short-sighted proposal to cut funding for fly-tipping clean-ups in our city. Clean streets are not a privilege – they are a fundamental right for every resident.
“By cutting this vital service, the council risks turning our cherished city into a dumping ground. We call on the council to cut fly-tipping, not the budget because Coventry deserves better.”
It goes on to say that fly-tipped waste is not only ‘unsightly, it’s hazardous’. The petition adds: “The council might save money now, but the long-term costs of environmental damage, public health and declining property values will be far greater. A clean city attracts businesses, boosts tourism and enhances our quality of life. Don’t let Coventry become a dumping ground.”
The council has, in recent months, stepped up its action against fly-tippers. Not only has it increased the maximum fine from £200 to £1,000, it has also started ‘shaming’ those behind the actions.
It has launched a ‘Wall of Shame’ campaign, which includes CCTV images of fly-tippers and people are urged to report those they recognise.
The ruling Labour council has previously said it does not want to slash funding from the service but claimed they are “running out of other options” because of historical and current underfunding.