Last month, enforcement officers patrolled several streets in Westcliff and issued letters to 30 properties giving them 14 days to clear up their front yards before formal notices were served. Sixteen notices had to be issued which gave residents a further 28 days to take action before the council stepped in and carried out the clearance themselves.
In total four failed to take action and will now be taken to Court and could face a fine of up to £2,500. They will also incur an additionalclear up cost that the Council will recover from each offender.
The areas within the Victoria Ward are the first to be targeted as part of the Council’s Clean and Green campaign. Continuing patrols of the areas and other untidy streets across the Borough will follow.
Ron Woodley, Leader of the Council accompanied enforcement officers on the latest blitz. He said: “We are very proud of our borough and want to do our utmost to keep Southend looking at its best – for our residents and for the more than six million visitors who coming here every year.
“So when people allow rubbish to pile up outside their homes, they are letting down their neighbours by blighting their street and creating a health risk, affecting house prices and encouraging vermin. Indeed, it’s one of the main issues that constituents contact me about.
“The Council provides household waste recycling centres free of charge for residents and we can remove bulky items of waste, such as unwanted furniture, for a nominal fee. So there really is no excuse for letting rubbish pile up.
Southend Council operates Household Waste Recycling Centres on Stock Road, Southend or Leigh Marshes. You can arrange for waste and unwanted items to be collected from your house at a small fee by contacting Cory Environmental.