Councillors call for community skips in Sunderland streets to tackle fly-tipping crisis

Liberal Democrat city councillors in Sunderland are asking for skips to be placed in fly-tipping hotspots to allow residents to dispose of bulky waste responsibly whilst the city's household waste and recycling centres remain shut.

Opposition councillors on Wearside are calling on the City Council to introduce a 'community skip' scheme to stop fly-tipping reaching crisis point in back lanes across Sunderland.

Lib Dem city councillors want hotspot areas like Pallion, Millfield, Hendon and Southwick, where a huge increase in fly-tipping and dumped rubbish has been reported, to be able to benefit from skips which are installed for a day or weekend and then removed by the council.

A community skip project would allow residents to get rid of bulky waste that won't fit in wheelie bins whilst the city council's tip at Beach Street in Deptford remains closed.

The scheme is already operating well in other councils across the country.

Commenting, Pallion and Ford Estate councillor Martin Haswell said:

"Understandably a lot of people are using lockdown for decorating, gardening and having a clear out - but with the tip shut and very unlikely to open soon due to social distancing restrictions, we just can't go on as we are.

"Back lanes in Pallion and across the city are filling up with dumped rubbish and fly-tipping. The Council need to accept that many people aren't able to pay for a bulky waste collection, and with the tip closed there needs to be some other options that people can use without the need to pay if we are to avoid a fly-tipping crisis.

"That's why Lib Dem city councillors are fighting to get the Council to install skips for a day or a weekend to help people do the right thing, dispose of large and bulky waste responsibly, and keep our communities clean."