Overflowing bins that were blasted as a “health hazard” as it attracted rats and had glass strewn on the ground has been cleared up five days.
South Oxhey councillor Steve Cox said it was “disappointing” that it took nearly five days for Thrive Homes to clear-up the overflowing wastebins outside Erskine House on Oxhey Drive after he made the housing association aware of the problem last Saturday (October 9).
Cllr Cox called it a clear “problem area” but he hopes that by having it cleaned up “it will be respected more instead of being used as a dumping ground”.
Rubbish seen by Cllr Steve Cox last Saturday
He said: “The area needs to be treated with greater respect by everyone and kept clean and tidy. If problems persist, then the installation of CCTV to catch any wrongdoings may need to be installed.”
After making Thrive Homes aware of the situation, it was finally cleared up this morning (October 14).
Cllr Cox has suggested that he believes people who do not live in Erskine House have travelled down to the wastebins site to dispose of their rubbish.
The problem was reported on the Observer yesterday, after concerned grandmother Heather Pomroy told the paper that the bins overflow “nearly every week”.
Ms Pomroy, who walks her grandson around the area during her fortnightly visits to South Oxhey, said “you wouldn’t want to take a child” past the street due to the health risks associated by the rotten food, rats and broken glass.
She said the “health hazard” is concerning for parents or anyone walking past, adding: “I would suggest they either need emptying a lot more, or they need a caretaker to make sure they’re tidy.”
A spokesperson for Three Rivers District Council said: "We have made Thrive Homes aware of these latest concerns and continue to work closely with them in order to resolve the issues, encouraging residents to recycle and dispose of their waste responsibly."
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