Waste management issues for Tenby - which quite often leads to the streets of the seaside town strewn with litter, due to abuse and flytipping, are being considered - with one local councillor stating that it is wrong that holiday let owners expect the ‘people of Pembrokeshire’ to pay for their ‘greed and sense of entitlement’
At this month’s meeting of Tenby Town Council, members met with Environmental Services Officer Nicky Young, from PCC’s Area Maintenance team.
It was explained that there were 118 bins in Tenby to service, with town centre bins emptied four times a day, while those on the outskirts are visited two or three times a day depending on workload.
Mr Young said that PCC were also getting to grips with flytipping by fining, with operatives going through bags to find evidence.
Mr Young said that flytipping of domestic waste from holiday lets into street bins was still a major problem and PCC were now checking trade waste licenses.
They were aware that some rental properties actually instructed visitors to use the street bins and PCC had physical evidence of this which was being dealt with.
It was not just visitors, however, as PCC were aware that some locals also used the street bins to dispose of domestic rubbish. Trace address and information was being gathered.
Cllr Laurence Blackhall said that the point is that if holiday properties are rented out at £1,500 per week, then £50 to have rubbish removed is the very least that property owners could do.
“People are making good money,” he said. “They do not pay council tax because they register as a business and then get full business rate relief so pay nothing towards services.
“They expect the people of Pembrokeshire to pay for their greed and sense of entitlement.
“We’ve heard that street bin waste has to go to landfill. For every ton that goes to landfill Pembrokeshire has to pay. We who pay council tax are the ones that are paying, ultimately it comes back to us.”
Deputy Mayor, Cllr Charles Dale said he was concerned about the fact that there were not enough bins which often led to flytipping, and felt that PCC should be trialling waste schemes in Tenby.
“There is frustration on both sides and I understand the enormity of the task but people can be very forgiving if PCC are seen to be trying to address problems,” he remarked.