All in a day's work
Stockport’s area conditions officers are experts at juggling a wide range of tasks in order to make improvements to the local environment.
As one of the team, Peter is responsible for ensuring that local streets, parks and public spaces in the Tame Valley Area, Reddish, are clean and green for all residents to enjoy.
His role involves carrying out investigations into fly-tipping, dealing with abandoned vehicles, issuing on-the-spot fines for littering and taking part in area committees and public meetings on local environmental issues.
The aim of an area conditions officer’s work is to improve local environmental quality by enforcing against those responsible and ensuring that the operational services work effectively to maintain cleanliness.
Peter said: “Major changes are taking place within the borough, with people and businesses now being held accountable for dirtying the streets.
“This in the long term can only have beneficial effects for the residents of Stockport, helping to build safer, stronger, greener communities.”
Projects Peter has recently been working on include the following.
- Clearing and making safe a derelict and disused allotment which had become a hot-spot for fly-tippers
The area used to be an attractive spot, but became a dumping ground for local fly-tippers and soon turned into an eyesore for residents living nearby. A major complication was the amount of hazardous waste that had been dumped on the site including asbestos and diesel. Land searches were carried out to identify the owners and a Section 80 was served upon them. This gives landowners just 24 hours to remove all hazardous chemicals and materials on site. A Section 59 of the EPA was also served and this requires landowners to remove any building waste within 21 days. Peter is now involved with investigations into fly-tipping on the land and is hoping to pursue legal action against any offenders.
- Securing a derelict public house which had become a hang out for youths and the target for vandals and so-called graffiti artists
The property was awaiting planning permission to be converted or demolished but became the target of youths, scrawling graffiti on the walls and smashing windows with bricks. This became a nuisance to local residents, but the owner did not want to spend any money on the building. Peter was forced to serve a Section 92A of the Environmental Protection Act, which required the owner to secure the building or face a fixed penalty notice. The owner boarded up the building and put up a perimeter fence, which ensured peace was restored to the area.
- Tackling businesses who dispose of their waste incorrectly
Businesses disposing of their waste incorrectly had become a major problem throughout the city. Many had been caught dumping their rubbish out with general household weekly collections but little enforcement action had been taken. Peter ensured that offenders were brought to task, serving Section 34s on businesses caught or suspected of disposing their waste incorrectly. Waste contracts and tip notes are now being checked and failure to comply can lead to a Fixed Penalty Notice being issued. The council is looking at producing some leaflets to highlight the problem of disposing waste incorrectly and providing guidance on the right ways to do it.