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Yes, I have some knowledge about this because a friend runs a shop in the area. As you say, people living above shops are supposed to use a special colour rubbish bag (I can't remember which colour exactly) but clearly this rule is being flouted, either by the folk living above the shops or others dumping a load of stuff at the collection points for shop refuse. A further problem is that if the rubbish is left after the final collection time it will stay there all night and the foxes will make merry.
I guess the reason the rubbish issue is so bad in Seven Sisters is that many of the dwellings above the shops on West Green Rd, and stretches of Philip Lane, appear to be slum-like, with multiple occupancy, a transient population and probably dodgy activities going on in a fair few of them. I'm not trying to demonise anybody but people living in such residences aren't likely to be particularly civic-minded.
Anyway, whatever the reasons for it, the facts are there before our eyes every morning in the dirty, disgusting, depressing streets of Seven Sisters, and I do feel that the council should recognise that Seven Sisters (and much of Tottenham) is a special case and rethink its policies/put more resources into tackling this problem
You'd think so!
You'd also think the local councillor care about the appearance of their wards but I'm unconvinced.
I had a twitter spat with one member about West Green Road, and she insisted I email her what I'd tweeted. I suggested she walked down West Green Road before the valiant and excellent sweepers had been round just to see how much rubbish is tossed onto the pavements. But no. I had to email her. She obviously didn't care.
There's a place on Alfoxton Avenue, just on the bend, where the local folks dump their rubbish. It's disgusting. It reminds me of areas of Istanbul 10 years ago - now cleaned up of course.
Then we've got the filthy areas of pavement around bins, black with detritus. The council can't be arsed to get a jet washer and blitz these areas once in a while. Let's not talk about all the chewing gum.
I do use the Our Haringey app when I see dumped rubbish. It does seem to be a good way of reporting and I commend that!
I think the local council accept that Harringay and areas of Tottenham are immune to any semblance of civic pride.
I have asked the Neighbourhood officer to visit Alfoxton Avenue and to take action. I agree, it is shocking and is a real dumping hotspot.
Zena
Zena Brabazon
Councillor, Harringay ward.
Just to update everyone, I have been in touch with John Forde, the Neighbourhood Officer for Harringay and St. Ann's he got back tome right away and explained that the huge pile of bags in that corner on Alfoxton Avenue comes from the flats above shops along Wordsworth Parade. Apparently, this where Veolia have asked for bags to be left. I don't;think this is the best idea to put it mildly as it attracts other dumping but at least we now know the origin of the problem. I have asked to have a meeting on site in order to see if there can't be a better plan.
Zena
Zena Brabazon
Cllr, Harringay Ward
Here is the state of Hampden Road with the passage junction this morning. The purple Veolia bags have been there for several days, encouraging the fly-tipping. I've reported it via the app.
Haringey Council really need to pull their finger out and get tough on Veolia. This is their basic contract with the council to provide a refuse service. If they're failing, and they clearly are, why not take legal action? Anyone know if there is a precedent of a council doing this? I guess if they did take them to court and broke the contract/given costs, it may make it difficult with any future negotiations, but something has to change.
A shockingly common sight across the east of the Borough with little sign that Haringey Council have the appetite to tackle the contractor about their poor service. Remember this was the company who was going to get us all to recycle, bring down fly tipping and increase the cleanliness of the streets - at least that was what they said *before* they got the 20 year contract.
I have requested to see details of the contract and to be informed of what changes are made but apart from the odd sneaked out press release about reduced street sweeping (now once a week for most streets and not co-ordinated with doorstep collections as has been suggested many times). I tried to find out about how workers were treated (informally I was told that many permanent workers were replaced by agency staff) and what equipment was available for them to use. I'm told such information isn't in the public domain so can't be FOI'd - the advantage clearly for a public body to contract out is that we then have little access to information.
I also asked the previous cabinet member at what point the broken promises (remember Operation clean streets which I was told failed to deliver because the contractor didn't meet the targets), the failed objectives e.g. from linked to press release
The council is also committed to phasing out unsightly purple sacks at the roadside, as it introduces a new way of gathering up the waste collected by its team of street sweepers.
the general shabbiness of streets and shopping areas, filthy litter bins and the unhealthy smell that settles over Haringey during the summer meant that they took steps to fire their contractor and start again. He got very heated in his reply to me as though I was holding him personally responsible (I'm not, he's a councillor not a miracle worker) but actually said nothing. As for the new cabinet member, she seems to be mainly silent on the issue. The chief executive also seems strangely untroubled by the shocking state of the streets and the poor delivery of service by Veolia. All I can suggest is that we take it back to basics - photograph everything, write to our councillors, tweet the horrors, post on here and try and bring the issue back to the fore. Maybe Zena and Emine could organise some residents meetings to discuss this and plan some action. I'm sure they'd be up for that.
And the cycle continues. Here it is this morning which I have reported as fly-tipping.
No offence to those of us that do report rubbish, but I don't believe there are enough residents with the willingness or inclination to report rubbish day after day to make the council take a lot of notice. There is a systemic issue with Veolia's service, which needs to be immediately addressed by the council.
I think I once read the council spends £1.5 mln a year clearing fly-tipping. What if the council spent £1mln on enforcement for a year, would we see any change?
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