Sandfields residents kicking up a stink over street rubbish problem

FED-UP Sandfields residents are having to clean up their own streets after they became a hot-spot for fly-tipping.

People living in Argyle Street and Western Street have been left to pick up the fly-tippers' mess on a patch of pavement at one of the junctions of the two roads — and have called on those dumping their waste to stop being so irresponsible.

Swansea Council has said that it was aware of the problem in the area and had sent letters to a number of Sandfields residents warning them about fly-tipping.

One resident of Western Street, Michael Paddison, said: "It has been going on for years but in recent months people have been dumping furniture there.

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"Tables, chair and a wardrobe have been left there, and even napkins and contraceptives too.

"The other day the lollypop lady had to move the wardrobe so the children could walk past.

"Rubbish gets all over the road, I just picked up two black bags of rubbish. It is terrible, you can smell it. It is embarrassing for people living here."

Mr Paddison, 62, who has lived in Sandfields since 1973, said he and other neighbours believed the situation was being made worse by students in the area not putting their rubbish out on the correct nights.

"I have been here for forty years and it doesn't help with landlords and different people buying up houses," he said.

"I have spoken to some students recently as they were putting their bins out on the wrong night – but it isn't always them. Even some residents are putting their rubbish there.

"To be fair to the council they do help us.

"We phoned them the other day when there were about 10 bags left and they came and collected it. It is an issue for everyone here."

A spokesman for Swansea Council said: "We search through rubbish that's illegally dumped in Swansea for evidence of who left it there.

"If there's sufficient evidence then a letter is sent in the first instance to remind whoever is responsible about the right arrangements for waste collection.

"A formal notice would then follow if the letter is ignored.

"If someone continues to fly-tip, having already received a letter and a formal notice, then we would either prosecute or issue a fixed penalty notice.

"A formal notice was sent to a resident in this area in June and a small number of letters were sent throughout July, August and September.

"We will also be putting up posters in the area to remind people that fly-tipping is an offence."