Two pages of the latest issue of Your Croydon, the council’s propaganda rag (what Tory Government minister Eric Pickles would so accurately call a “Town Hall Pravda”), have been devoted to a warning to fly-tippers: “Beware – you will be caught”, they are told. How the fly-tippers of south London must be trembling at that news.
Eldridge Road a week ago
Because there’s precious little evidence of any real action by the council on our streets.
Since 2010, incidents of reported fly-tipping have more than doubled in our borough. Yet according to official figures, there was virtually no enforcement action done in 2012-2013 on cases of fly-tipping, with the council taking action – sometimes with as little as a stern letter – in fewer than 1 in every 100 reported cases (never mind the instances which don’t get reported).
After years of cutting back the street scene budget, the Conservative-run council has recently summoned up an extra £100,000 to spend on fly-tipping, finding the money when confronted by the growing disquiet over the state of our streets, and the realisation that Labour would be making Croydon’s filthy streets an issue at the local elections which take place in May.
It does not seem as if any of that cash has been spent yet, if a report we received over the weekend from Inside Croydon’s loyal reader in Fairfield ward is anything to go by.
“Here are two delightful views of Eldridge Road, central Croydon,” our loyal reader writes, attaching two pictures taken just a short jog from the council’s offices.
Eldridge Road last weekend. The council’s fly-tipping flying squad is nowhere to be seen
“In the first, taken on Saturday March 8 at around 9.45am, you can see how a bed has been thoughtfully dismantled and carefully placed in the middle of the pavement to provide an interesting obstacle course for people using wheelchairs or pushing children’s buggies.
“In the next photo,” they continue, referring to the picture shown right, “taken the following Saturday at the same time, (it’s my route back from the Lloyd Park run), you can see that the obstacle course has now been converted into a skip to collect other people’s rubbish.
“Is this another one of Croydon Council’s excellent schemes to brighten up our borough?” asks our correspondent.
“If so, please pass on my heartiest congratulations.”
Consider it done.
- Croydon in 2013: The Garbage Gallery revisited
- Croydon in 2012: The Garbage Gallery
- Fly tipping more than doubled in Croydon since 2010
- Dirty Croydon: “I’m ashamed of the dirty state of my road”
- Croydon in a Pickles again over its rubbish service
Coming to Croydon
- Norwood Society Talk: West Norwood Cemetery, Mar 20
- South Norwood Lakes Playground group workshop, Mar 25
- David Lean Cinema: Basically Johnny Moped, Mar 27-28
- Croydon Half-marathon, Mar 30
- David Lean Cinema: 12 Years a Slave, Apr 3
- David Lean Cinema: The Great Beauty, Apr 10
- Norwood Society Talk: Crystal Palace, Apr 17
- David Lean Cinema: Inside Llewyn Davis, Apr 17
- Opening of Marlpit Lane bowling and putting greens, Apr 17
- Arts and Crafts Market, Exchange Square, Apr 19
- David Lean Cinema: Short Term, Apr 24
- Norwood Society Talk: West Norwood – a place of change, May 15
- Norwood Society Talk: The Concrete Church, June 19
- Crystal Palace Overground Festival, June 26-29
- Norwood Society Talk: War Memorials, Sep 18
- Norwood Society Talk: From Fire Station to Theatre, Oct 16
- Norwood Society Talk: Lambeth’s Archives, Nov 20
Inside Croydon: Croydon’s only independent news source, based in the heart of the borough: 516,649 page views (Jan-Dec 2013)
If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, a residents’ or business association or local event, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com