Issues with tackling litter that continues to blight Tenby’s street and beaches were once again raised by local councillors at their recent meeting - as the seaside town heads into another holiday season - with certain ‘hotspots’ being highlighted, and discussions around holiday let occupants still clearly being encouraged to use public bins to dump their domestic rubbish in.

At the May meeting of Tenby Town Council, members were asked to consider employing a seasonal member of staff to assist Pembrokeshire County Council in dealing with daily ‘hotspots’ for rubbish.

Cllr Sam Skyrme-Blackhall told her fellow councillors that said she had recently been dealing with litter issues particularly at the beach entrance to Kiln Park and has secured more bins at that end.

litter bins south beach Tenby
Cllr Sam Skyrme-Blackhall told her fellow councillors that said she had recently been dealing with litter issues particularly at the beach entrance to Kiln Park and has secured more bins at that end. (Tenby Together)

Following a conversation with PCC staff it was clear that there were particular hotspots in town.

Out walking early one Sunday morning she noticed that, particularly around Castle Hill and the harbour the bins themselves were only half full, but people had been making ‘pyramids of rubbish’ which makes collection very time consuming.

“PCC are low on resources and are very limited due to time constraints. We have a special situation in Tenby due to the sheer volume of people,” she remarked.

She wondered if the Town Council could consider employing someone for a couple of hours a day for the six weeks of the school holidays to work alongside PCC on litter collections.

South beach litter
Cllr Sam Skyrme-Blackhall recently met with members of Pembrokeshire County Council's refuse team and the management of Kiln Park due to the vast amounts of rubbish left in the area over the past few weeks. (Tenby Together)

Members felt that it was quite a tight timeframe to advertise, interview and employ someone by July. There would also be issues to address like line management, insurance, training, equipment, and a vehicle if they were working alongside PCC.

It was suggested that Cllr. Skyrme-Blackhall and the Clerk liaise with PCC officers to work out the most feasible way of providing assistance to the refuse teams.

Cllr. Skyrme-Blackhall said that in relation to bins at the harbour and certain other bins in town, the problems were being caused by people staying in Airbnb’s and holiday lets and having no bins in their premises.

“They are actually being told in hire information to dump rubbish in the council bins!” she said,

Cllr Laurence Blackhall felt that letting agencies needed to be written to again insisting they, or their clients, have a way of getting rid of trade waste.

“They are a business and the waste removal charge is hardly anything when they are charging £1,000 a week,” he commented.

“I believe letting agents are taking up to 17% fees; what are they doing for that?

During a ‘Time for Tenby’ litter pick one day in May, the amount collected was 12.5 kilos - equalling 7 bags.
During a ‘Time for Tenby’ litter pick one day in May, the amount collected was 12.5 kilos - equalling 7 bags. (Time for Tenby)

“They are encouraging, not discouraging our waste problems and must do better. Early intervention is needed to stop problems emerging, otherwise all we are doing is acting to disguise an issue that will perpetuate,” added Cllr Blackhall.

It was proposed that the Town Council liaise PCC over the best way to provide the refuse team with additional help for the summer months.

During a ‘Time for Tenby’ litter pick one day in May, the amount collected was 12.5 kilos - equalling 7 bags.