'Anti-Warndon' waste claims lead to war of words between Labour and city council - The Worcester Observer

'Anti-Warndon' waste claims lead to war of words between Labour and city council

Worcester Editorial 8th Jul, 2022 Updated: 8th Jul, 2022   0

ACCUSATIONS of ‘anti-Warndon sentiment’ have been levelled at Worcester City Council for its ‘reluctance’ to provide proper waste disposal services for the area.

Labour’s Coun Jill Desayrah made the claims as part of her tireless efforts in tackling fly-tipping in Warndon which has seen her arrange a number of clean-up operations on abandoned rubbish, including many fridges and sofas.

However council bosses have responded to her accusations and pointed out there were several options available to Warndon residents who need to dispose of rubbish which does not fit in to their household bins.

Coun Desayrah said such ‘after-the-fact’ clearances which she has organised can never be a satisfactory solution.




“Clearances are an ongoing battle. 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.”


Coun Desayrah said she had pushed for proper rubbish disposal skips within Warndon but claimed she had faced resistance from council officers who were ‘prejudiced’ against residents.

“I have been told by one council officer the people of Warndon need to start looking after their environment themselves,” she said.

“This is not only an insulting attitude to take, but one which misses the point. Warndon residents need no lectures in self-reliance, they’re resilient and have a strong community spirit.

“With fuel at nearly £2 a litre, cars have become a luxury many can’t afford, so a trip to the Bilford Road tip is 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.

In response, a city council spokesperson said: “Worcester City Council is one of the few councils which offers 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 item/items collected from their homes for a small fee, or they can visit Worcester (East) Household Recycling Centre to dispose of items for free with no requirement to book.

“As well as these options, the council, through its Discretionary Welfare Assistance Scheme, and many of the housing providers which operate in the Warndon area, such as Platform Housing, have support in place for their tenants who are facing financial hardship to assist with essential everyday costs.”

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