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Clean up these filthy streets, urge pupils
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| WHAT A MESS: Pupils from King's Park Primary School, Bournemouth show Mayor Cllr Anne Filer and councillors their picture record of rubbish problems in Boscombe. Picture: Hattie Miles. ID: 6748646 |
DUMPED fridges, dirty needles, overflowing bins and dog mess.
That's just some of the rubbish pupils from King's Park Primary School found when they looked at their community of Springbourne and Boscombe.
Youngsters from the school council visited Bournemouth town hall on Monday to meet with mayor Cllr Anne Filer, her consort Cllr Michael Filer, and local ward councillors to discuss their findings.
The pupils took it in turns to read the report and show photographs they had taken.
The report said: "In Boscombe we saw lots of rubbish and food waste around the back to the shops. This encourages rats and mice. Some of the bin stores had food spilling over and the rubbish was not collected by the bin men.
"Some of the public gardens and alleys had drug needles left on the ground.
"We also saw bottles of alcohol and beer cans with drink in them. If children got hold of these, this could make them ill.
"In Windham Road there are fridges and freezers rusting on the street. These are dangerous.
"Children play around these. They could climb inside one and be suffocated. They also have sharp bits that could cut you. They have been there for years.
"On the way to school we have to step around lots of dog mess. It is really bad when people walk dogs in the park and let them go to the toilet on the cricket and football pitches without clearing it up."
They said a survey among parents revealed that 80 per cent don't feel the streets are clean and rubbish free. The school handed over a petition signed by 115 parents who said they felt the council had allowed rubbish to accumulate in the streets and alleys and this had become a health and safety concern.
Cllr Robert Lawton, cabinet member for environment and transport, told the pupils the council has powers to deal with specific problems such as environmental health issues and encourages all dog owners to clear up after their pets.
Mayor Cllr Filer, who covers the East Cliff and Springbourne ward, said quite often the council is not aware of a problem because they have not been informed.
"We encourage people to contact their local councillor and tell us and we will do what we can to get it sorted," she said.
She said she was disgusted to see the photographs the pupils had taken of rubbish and graffiti.
Lesley Butler, environmental compliance operations manager, said every effort is taken to find those responsible for dumping rubbish and there are plans to use CCTV to catch fly-tippers.
Pupil Jordan Norton, nine, said afterwards: "I think it went well. I was shocked to learn that the people who live in the area think it is disgusting.
"I hope the council will take this forward and help clean up Boscombe."
And teacher Robert Barnetson said the school would present the petition at the next full cou-ncil and work on a newsletter to educate parents and encourage them to contact the council with any environmental problems.
Anyone wishing to report any environmental issue can contact the council on 01202 451199.
1:00pm Wednesday 21st May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Gastines, St.Malo ex Bournemouth on 12:36pm Thu 22 May 08
If the children from this School can see all the rubbish strewn around Boscombe,what the devil are the Council Enviromental Officers/Health & Safety Inspectors etc., doing about it? Do they go around with their eyes shut? As a former resident of St.Clements Road and with my 2 brothers attending St.John's in Gladstone Road,I despair at the state of the place on my return visits.Why has this area been allowed to descend to such a filthy state including around some of the shop premises,the houses and business premises pay Tax to the Council so surely the same services should be provided as in more salubrious parts of the conurbation? If the place is rife with drug dealers, why aren't the police clamping down, a more visible presence for a start.Perhaps the £50K spent on the pile of rubble in the precint is an example of Council cash being spent in the wrong direction?
If the children from this School can see all the rubbish strewn around Boscombe,what the devil are the Council Enviromental Officers/Health & Safety Inspectors etc., doing about it? Do they go around with their eyes shut? As a former resident of St.Clements Road and with my 2 brothers attending St.John's in Gladstone Road,I despair at the state of the place on my return visits.Why has this area been allowed to descend to such a filthy state including around some of the shop premises,the houses and business premises pay Tax to the Council so surely the same services should be provided as in more salubrious parts of the conurbation? If the place is rife with drug dealers, why aren't the police clamping down, a more visible presence for a start.Perhaps the £50K spent on the pile of rubble in the precint is an example of Council cash being spent in the wrong direction?
Posted by: michael carpenter, BOSCOMBE on 1:54pm Thu 22 May 08
I AGREE BOSCOME IS OVERUN WITH DOGS MESS ALL ALONG WALPOLE ROAD BUT MOSTLY AROUND THE DOCTOR SURGERY.
I AGREE BOSCOME IS OVERUN WITH DOGS MESS ALL ALONG WALPOLE ROAD BUT MOSTLY AROUND THE DOCTOR SURGERY.
Posted by: Trifecta, Southbourne on 2:24pm Thu 22 May 08
[bold]"Mayor Cllr Filer, who covers the East Cliff and Springbourne ward, said quite often the council is not aware of a problem. She said she was disgusted to see the photographs the pupils had taken of rubbish and graffiti."[/bold]
My ghasted has been well and truly flabbered by this one!
How on earth is she able to represent Bournemouth and yet have no idea of what has been happening in her town? For years and years this has hardly been a secret and yet...????
Speechless.
"Mayor Cllr Filer, who covers the East Cliff and Springbourne ward, said quite often the council is not aware of a problem. She said she was disgusted to see the photographs the pupils had taken of rubbish and graffiti."
My ghasted has been well and truly flabbered by this one!
How on earth is she able to represent Bournemouth and yet have no idea of what has been happening in her town? For years and years this has hardly been a secret and yet...????
Speechless.
Posted by: Christopher, Wallisdown & Winton West on 4:16pm Thu 22 May 08
Well at least we can now comment on this issue. An over sight by the Echo Staff apparently when I contacted them regarding not being able to respond.
Already said, but has to be said again. As a Councillor, and more so as a Mayor, I would hope that Cllr Filer and Co would be fully aware of the state of the streets of ones town, let alone their own ward. I hope that all Councillors are aware of their own wards. ( I doubt if my ward councillors are, we do not seem to see them ).
All streets of Bournemouth and outlying areas are littered with rubbish, including bottles, beer cans. Weeds in the kerbsides, Weeds on the islands, and all kinds of litter strewn along hedgerows, and fences.
Even our own Refuse department cannot keep the rubbish in the bins or lorries, on occasions it becomes strewn across the road, and is not retrieved, why, because they are not allowed to touch waste.
I personally have not seen a road sweeper for some time now. In fact I could not even put a date on the last time I saw one. Bins are left over flowing for days, and when they are collected it is only when they are full, if not they are left to festoon in the heat (when it is about).
The state of our town and conurbation is disgusting, and has been for some time. Council Taxes spring to mind again. Is this not what they are for also.
Madam Mayor, and Councillors, Robert Dyass and B&Q are doing a deal on hard brooms at this time.
Well at least we can now comment on this issue. An over sight by the Echo Staff apparently when I contacted them regarding not being able to respond.
Already said, but has to be said again. As a Councillor, and more so as a Mayor, I would hope that Cllr Filer and Co would be fully aware of the state of the streets of ones town, let alone their own ward. I hope that all Councillors are aware of their own wards. ( I doubt if my ward councillors are, we do not seem to see them ).
All streets of Bournemouth and outlying areas are littered with rubbish, including bottles, beer cans. Weeds in the kerbsides, Weeds on the islands, and all kinds of litter strewn along hedgerows, and fences.
Even our own Refuse department cannot keep the rubbish in the bins or lorries, on occasions it becomes strewn across the road, and is not retrieved, why, because they are not allowed to touch waste.
I personally have not seen a road sweeper for some time now. In fact I could not even put a date on the last time I saw one. Bins are left over flowing for days, and when they are collected it is only when they are full, if not they are left to festoon in the heat (when it is about).
The state of our town and conurbation is disgusting, and has been for some time. Council Taxes spring to mind again. Is this not what they are for also.
Madam Mayor, and Councillors, Robert Dyass and B&Q are doing a deal on hard brooms at this time.
Posted by: Gastines, St.Malo ex Bournemouth on 5:42pm Thu 22 May 08
Might be time to sack the outside contractors and employ road sweepers,or whatever grand name they have to be called these PC days. There never used to be all this filth everywhere,bearing in mind it's the public who throw it in the first place. As mentioned before a hop across the channel to see how it's done over here might give the Councillors food for thought. My total local taxes on a 6 bed house with 1800 sq mtr garden,bins emptied every week,public holidays do not stop the service,re-cycling bin every 2 weeks etc.etc. cost us just over half of what we paid in Bournemouth 6 years ago? Loads of well laid out flower beds, designed and colourful roundabouts and virtually litter free. Even after the huge produce markets the area is swept and washed down within an hour of closure. As the UK Government keeps reminding everyone.Lessons will be learnt. Start with a clean town and residents might start taking a bit more pride in the place, you never know ,it might even encourage a few visitors.
Might be time to sack the outside contractors and employ road sweepers,or whatever grand name they have to be called these PC days. There never used to be all this filth everywhere,bearing in mind it's the public who throw it in the first place. As mentioned before a hop across the channel to see how it's done over here might give the Councillors food for thought. My total local taxes on a 6 bed house with 1800 sq mtr garden,bins emptied every week,public holidays do not stop the service,re-cycling bin every 2 weeks etc.etc. cost us just over half of what we paid in Bournemouth 6 years ago? Loads of well laid out flower beds, designed and colourful roundabouts and virtually litter free. Even after the huge produce markets the area is swept and washed down within an hour of closure. As the UK Government keeps reminding everyone.Lessons will be learnt. Start with a clean town and residents might start taking a bit more pride in the place, you never know ,it might even encourage a few visitors.
Posted by: bobo, winton on 8:59pm Thu 22 May 08
take a look at grafton road and close the filth is staggering
take a look at grafton road and close the filth is staggering
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