Worcester council accused of 'anti-Warndon sentiment' over battle to stop fly-tipping

Warndon councillor Jill Desayrah has been demanding Worcester City Council make proper rubbish disposal skips available in Warndon but has faced resistance from council officers who she accused of being prejudiced against Warndon residents.

She has hit out at one council officer for “insulting” residents by telling them to look after the area themselves. 

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“This is not only an insulting attitude to take, but one that misses the point,” she said.

“Warndon residents need no lectures in self-reliance, they’re resilient and have a strong community spirit, which has been all the more essential during twelve years of Tory cuts to vital public services.

“Still, in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis that hits the poorest areas hardest of all, residents are being asked to ‘look after themselves’ with both hands tied behind their back.”

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Cllr Desayrah, who was elected to represent the ward in May, has since arranged a number of clean-ups which have involved sofas and “death-trap” fridges which she fears could be lethal ahead of the summer school holidays.

“Most alarmingly, we're finding we have to clear fridges with the doors still on, which are a death trap waiting to happen,” she said.

“With the summer holidays approaching, the likelihood of a child dying in one of these things will increase; a totally preventable tragedy is being invited by lack of proper rubbish disposal facilities.”

BATTLE: Cllr Jill Desayrah with more fly-tipped rubbish in Warndon

The new Labour councillor added that rising fuel costs meant cars were a luxury that many could not afford and trips to the city’s Bilford Road tip were not always an option.

“Likewise, dedicated council collections for bulky waste can often be more than residents have to spend on food or fuel for a week,” she said.

“In this light, council officer attitudes like this can be seen for what they are - an attempt to blame residents for the results of decisions made in the Guildhall and in Westminster.”

A spokesperson for the council said: “We are one of the few councils which offer an extra service to residents – a free Saturday Skip Service, where every seven weeks a skip is placed in one of seven locations for local residents to use.

"Householders can also pre-book to have bulky items collected from their homes for a small fee, or they can visit Bilford Road to dispose of items for free with no requirement to book."