Crackdown on bins being left on the street sees hundreds of warning letters issued
“Education is more resilient than punishment” – that’s the message from city councillors who have discussed the progress on tackling bins left out on the streets.
Portsmouth City Council’s ruling Liberal Democrat cabinet has reviewed the progress of policies aimed at tackling littering and the nuisance caused by bins being left on pavements.
The council has received numerous complaints about bins left on pavements outside flat-fronted properties, which can obstruct or pose difficulties for pedestrians. Currently, council workers inform residents of the consequences of repeatedly leaving bins out by delivering letters or knocking on doors. If residents fail to comply, enforcement action could involve the removal of refuse or recycling bins, or written warnings or fines under Section 46A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Since January 2024, the council has delivered 553 warning letters to residents, resulting in 229 bins being either removed or replaced. There are 358 roads where bins have been reported to be stored on the highway, and council teams are continuing to address these cases.
Central Southsea Councillor Suzy Horton, said: “In my ward, about 30 per cent of people move each year and when new people come in they don’t necessarily understand the waste system.”
“I think it’s really important that we have opportunities for going in and appealing to people’s best nature in order to rectify it themselves before the further stages,” she added.
She noted that in one road in her ward with flat-fronted properties, there has never been an issue with bins being left out. “I think that’s because of the pressure from other people that you don’t put your bin on the street,” she said.
Councillor Kimberly Barrett highlighted “the difference” on Harold Road in Southsea since the policy was introduced earlier this year. “You walk down there now and you don’t have to jump over bins or bits of rubbish,” she said.
Councillor Lee Hunt commented on the cross-party support for the initiative, stating that other parties “generally welcomed” the new rules. He added: “Education is much more resilient than punishment.”