WALTHAM FOREST: Council threatens to fine itself (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

WALTHAM FOREST: Council threatens to fine itself

5:00pm Thursday 23rd October 2008 in

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A NOTICE threatening a potential fine of up to £2,500 has been issued by the council - to itself.

Staff issued the notice after the front garden of a council-owned house in Brooke Road, Walthamstow, was left “defaced by litter or refuse”.

The property had been left vacant for weeks, with items including cardboard boxes, chairs and other furniture filling the garden.

“The council cleared it out, left all the rubbish at the front of the house and boarded it up,” said Ken Rickwood, 60, who lives in Brooke Road.

In fact, the property is the former caretaker’s house, in use by Warwick Boys’ School until it was closed earlier this year.

Cllr Afzal Akram, the council's community safety cabinet member, said: “Eyesores like these don’t help our community at all, so I find it doubly disappointing that an oversight has left the blame for this one lying squarely at the council’s door.

“We take our duty to keep the borough clean very seriously indeed and, as such, will be removing this rubbish as soon as we possibly can.”

A notice was pinned to the door of the house on informing the owner they were required to remove the waste from the front garden and if they failed to do so, they faced possible prosecution and a maximum fine of £2,500.

“It’s a classic case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing,” Mr Rickwood said.

“I used to live there when my dad was the caretaker in the 1960s and ‘70s. I came back to the street in 1976 because I loved the area so it’s annoying to have something like this happen.”

The gaffe comes as the council announced its new campaign to tackle fly-tipping and littering, which includes powers to seek fines of as much as £50,000 and five-year prison sentences.

Residents are urged to contact Waltham Forest Direct on 8496 3000 or wfdirect@walthamforest.gov.uk if they spot instances of fly-tipping or refuse build-up.