A PAIR of Worcester homeowners have been taken to court for failing to comply with official notices telling them to tidy up their unsightly properties.
Both householders were last year served with Section 215 Notices under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 by Worcester City Council.
But they failed to take the actions required to tidy their properties and were prosecuted at Worcester Magistrates Court last Friday (December 7).
Kummer Sharif of 10 St Audries Road was served with a notice on 28 July 2017, giving him three months to tidy up his property.
The notice was served after the City Council received complaints about the amount of waste and building materials being stored in the front and rear gardens.
Renovations to the property had also been left unfinished, with no render on the façade of the house.
In court, Mr Sharif pleaded guilty to the offence of non-compliance with the notice. Magistrates noted the City Council had previously taken action in April 2016 to clear the front and rear gardens of waste, but more waste subsequently appeared at the site and the property itself had deteriorated in condition.
Sharif was fined £500 and was ordered to pay costs of £1,200 and a victim surcharge of £50.
Philip Gunwhy of 58 Timberdine Avenue was served with a Section 215 Notice on 2 August 2017, giving him three months to tidy up his property.
This followed complaints to the City Council about the overgrown rear garden. The property was also in a generally poor condition, with the ground floor windows boarded up and some of the rendering to the façade missing.
Gunwhy did not comply with the notice and also failed to attend the hearing at Worcester Magistrates Court.
The case proceeded in his absence. The evidence was read to the court and the matter was found to be proved.
Gunwhy was fined £1,000, and ordered to pay costs of £1,200 and a victim surcharge of £100.
A Worcester City Council spokesman said: “We welcome the outcomes of these prosecutions, which send a strong message that the City Council will pursue cases where the condition of properties creates a blight on their local neighbourhoods.”
