Over 200 tonnes of rubbish – plus tyres, gas canisters and asbestos – was removed by council workers from a Workington site, it has been revealed.
Councillor Jim Lister, executive member for the environment for Allerdale council, told a meeting of the authority that contractor Tivoli removed the fly-tipping from Oldside in May.
Councillor Lister’s report read: “During May, Tivoli cleared the Oldside site which involved removing over 200 tonnes of fly-tipping as well as tyres, gas canisters and a skip full of asbestos.”
But George Kemp, who represents Maryport North, raised concerns that large clean-up projects at sites like Oldside were drawing officers away from littering in the public realm.
Cllr Kemp said: “Can Councillor Lister assure us that these huge clean-up jobs are not affecting our street cleaning? Because to be honest with you, I think Workington is an absolute mess at the moment for street cleaning.
Cllr Lister said: “Yes I can assure you of that,” the executive member said that Cumbria County Council paid for the work at Oldside.
“That does not divert Tivoli away from their work within the town and not just Workington but the other towns as well.”
Cllr Kemp claimed that an instance of fly-tipping in Maryport had been left for two weeks before being cleared away.
Cllr Lister disputed this. He said: “Has anybody contacted the council to tell me? Because Tivoli usually clean-up (fly-tipping) in less than 24 hours.”
Cllr Kemp said that reporting the fly-tipping did not speed up the process but was advised to contact Cllr Lister if similar situations occur in the future.
