Coventry volunteer Frank Beechey urges the council to maintain street cleaning budgets to prevent fly-tipping and ensure clean streets for all residents
Coventry: Volunteers recently cleared over 60kg of fly-tipped waste, but it returned the next day. Frank Beechey, a local resident, is urging the council to keep street cleaning budgets intact.
Beechey often joins clean-up groups. He believes cutting funding will hurt their efforts. He asked, “Would you want your kids near rubbish and vermin?”
He ran as a Conservative candidate last year. He noted some progress, like new cameras and increased fines for fly-tippers. He emphasized that prevention saves money in the long run.
Over 200 people signed a petition against the proposed cuts. If the cuts happen, the Labour-led council could save £700,000 annually, but fly-tipping might increase.
The meeting discussed petitions against three proposed cuts to public services. Conservative councillor Tim Sawdon supported Beechey’s appeal, saying cuts would be counterproductive.
Andrew Walster, Director for City Services, thanked Beechey and volunteers for their hard work. He acknowledged their concerns but mentioned the need for budget cuts.
Nearly £7 million is spent on cleaning the city. A proposed 10% cut could impact services. Decisions will be made next month during budget-setting.
Cllr Richard Brown shared his experiences with fly-tipping. He noted that the council can’t tackle the issue alone and emphasized the need for community involvement.
