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Borough's streets are filthiest in the UK
8:30am Friday 2nd May 2008
Comments (2)Haringey has the filthiest streets in the country, according to a survey published last week.
The borough, which hopes to become the greenest in London, was named as the filthiest place to live in a study of 351 local authorities.
Figures compiled by the GMB Union, based on data from the Audit Commission, show that 40 per cent of Haringey's pavements were ridden with litter and considered below acceptable standards in 2006/07.
The commission's definition of litter includes synthetic material such as cigarette butts, broken glass, and empty food packaging not properly disposed of by the public.
It also includes natural waste such as dust, mud, soil, grit, gravel, stones, rotten leaves and vegetable residue.
Neighbouring boroughs Enfield and Barnet were streets ahead, recording just 7.3 per cent and 16.3 per cent respectively.
Both made it in the top ten list of the cleanest borough's across the capital.
Council chiefs admitted litter has been a big problem for Haringey but insisted it has worked hard to address it.
Councillor Brian Haley, cabinet member for environment and conservation, said: "The cleanliness of Haringey's streets has improved significantly since this survey was undertaken, with the number of dirty streets reduced from 40 per cent to 20 per cent in just one year.
"The council is now ahead of its targets for street cleanliness."
Mr Haley also criticised the methodology used to calculate the figures and pointed the finger at local authorities which conducted inspections themselves.
He added: "Haringey uses an independent body to carry out this survey, but authorities compile these figures in different ways.
"A league table approach to street cleanliness is not a true comparison of litter."
Councillor Martin Newton, Liberal Democrat spokesman for the environment, said: "Haringey Council should be embarrassed that our borough has been tarred with the dirtiest-authority-in-Britain badge.
"This is not a title we should be proud of."
Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, added: "Street cleaning is the number one service that affects the quality of life of every resident.
"It is a disgrace that Haringey Labour cannot get this basic service right."
The GMB blamed a lack of human resources in local authorities and called on councils to ask fast-food restaurants, which it says are responsible for much of the litter, to foot part of the bill.
Since the figures were compiled, the council says it has invested heavily in street cleaning, including the introduction of a litter-picking service in addition to routine clean sweeps'.
The council is also tackling the sources of litter by stepping up enforcement on businesses like fast-food outlets.
More than 220 litterbins were installed in the borough in the last year.
Matthew Bradby, chairman of the Tottenham Civic Society, said: "I think it's a mixed picture.
"The road I live in is very clean and I've noticed street sweeps has doubled. But travelling through Wood Green I have seen some things that make me both angry and disappointed.
"I don't blame the council entirely; the process is expensive and the community could take responsibility for how and what they choose to throw away."
Your Say YourHaringey Independent
Limpy, Tottenham says...
11:24am Fri 9 May 08
Haringey was named as the filthiest place to live in a study of 351 local authorities.
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Alan Stanton, Tottenham says...
7:16pm Fri 2 May 08
As a Tottenham Hale ward councillor I regularly walk round the local streets and elsewhere; reporting dumping and posting photographs on my Flickr pages.
http://www.flickr.co
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My experience is that Haringey does well at monitoring, reporting and clearing dumping. My own ward and Tottenham generally are far cleaner than several years ago - mostly due to changes made by Cllr Haley's predecessors. Wheelie bins and litter bins have helped a lot. As, of course, has the expansion of recycling.
But I also observe a low-level culture of dumping in some areas. Unfortunately, to make a street look dirty only takes a small minority of irresponsible traders or residents; with (again a minority) of landlords and agents who clearly care nothing about the neighbourhood or the environment.
It also astonishes me when people haul a fridge, cooker, computer, or TV round the corner to dump it by someone else's wall - when one phonecall to the Council will arrange a free collection for these items. Similarly, black rubbish bags and small items dumped on pavements could easily fit into a wheeled bin. I wonder if any of the people who dump food waste, ever think about rats.
Matthew Bradby, of Tottenham Civic Society, is undoubtedly right when he calls for more community responsibility. Ideally this should be a real partnership between the Council and local residents and traders. Unfortunately, that's easier said than done. And certainly a lot harder than just challenging the statistics.
Alan Stanton
Councillor Tottenham Hale Ward