West Norfolk trolley problem stays
THE image of abandoned shopping trolleys blighting town centres across West Norfolk looks set to continue after it was revealed prosecution action in such cases is not being enforced.
At present West Norfolk Council has no storage facility for recovered trolleys, which means prosecutions cannot be enforced as legislation states such items must be held for six weeks to allow collection.
The situation has been brought to light in a report due to go before the council's regeneration and environment panel on Wednesday which provides details of the action taken by the clean neighbourhood enforcement team between June and September.
The current system regarding abandoned trolleys sees the council reporting locations to appropriate companies for them to collect. If not they are collected and destroyed.
But once the Norfolk Environment Waste Services facility opens at Poplar Avenue, off the Saddlebow Road Industrial Estate in Lynn, the council will be able to store trolleys and charge businesses on collection or, after six weeks, destroy them and charge the owner for the privilege.
However, the new site, which will feature split-level recycling facilities, is not due for completion until next year, meaning the current trolley problems look set to continue.
The report covers a full breakdown of the work carried out by the clean neighbourhood enforcement team, which includes investigations into matters such as fly-tipping, littering, fly-posting and illegal parking.
The results show that 330 separate incidents, including visits to businesses to check paperwork, were investigated between June and September, with 480 separate bin bags searched, 59 warning letters sent and eight fixed penalty notices issued.
The report states: "The investigations vary from an odd black bag to larger scale fly-tipping involving builders' rubble, asbestos, guttering, electrical items, furniture, carpets, garden waste, tyres and car parts, in fact anything that can be dumped, from a cigarette end to beds."
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
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