THANK you to the Derby Telegraph for highlighting the very serious fly-tipping issues within Normanton and beyond.
I was hoping, as I left the Normanton Forum last week, that I would feel uplifted. I hoped that the publicity would eventually kick-start some serious radical action but instead I came away feeling totally deflated.
After the meeting I had the opportunity to talk to some of the six enforcement officers that are in place.
I was disturbed when, firstly, I learned the normal hours of work are 8am-5pm. Much of the fly-tipping appears out of hours.
I was then even more disturbed when I learnt that the enforcement officers prioritise noise issues and "deal with fly-tipping in their spare time". I was told that due to the workload of noise nuisance, time dedicated to fly-tipping was limited.
I was told at the meeting by another official that Nottingham have 84 enforcement officers who deal with fly-tipping. The Environmental Department representative at the forum advised me and fellow volunteers that it would not be practical to have full-time officers dealing with only fly-tipping in Derby. Why? When we have an issue as big as this, where people are fleeing their homes, and many opening their front doors to squalor, then I would expect this to be a first priority.
It is very easy for us to attack the individual ward councillors, Streetpride, environmental health etc, but this enormous issue cannot be addressed by anyone alone.
I believe the changes need to come from a strategic level.
I do not understand why a recent Freedom of Information request confirmed that no such strategic plan is in place to deal with illegally fly-tipped waste.
Why do we have strategic directors if to me the one most serious concern which is destroying our city isn't warranting such planning.
As a member of the Normanton Empowerment Team group of volunteers who carry out regular walkabouts, reporting fly-tipping and supporting people who are living in these terrible conditions, I am constantly observing council departments shedding responsibility and blaming it on another council department.
This can only lead us back to top-line management.
We need someone in place who is prepared to stand up and bring all departments together to work as one.
My final frustration at the Normanton Forum was to observe an official on the panel facing the public, animatedly chewing bubble gum and subconsciously attempting to blow bubbles throughout the meeting!
I asked myself: if this is representative of the people who are responsible for bringing back respect to our neighbourhoods, then heaven help us!
Dawn Gee
Normanton Empowerment Team
