Cleaning up West Rhyl’s community

Efforts to clean up the streets of West Rhyl are paying dividends.

The Council, working with its partners, had previously identified 10 locations in this part of the town where fly-tipping was a concern.

The rubbish ranged from bagged household waste, mattresses, sofas, chairs and other household items and furniture.  People were also putting out bags of rubbish, often including food waste, well before their refuse was due to be collected. This often attracted seagulls who ripped bags open, looking for food.

The Council has worked closely with property owners, residents and businesses to understand the issues behind the fly-tipping, to educate the public about the anti-social effects of fly-tipping and to provide larger bins for those individuals that needed it.

As a result, the area has seen a dramatic improvement, with the number of hot-spots reduced to one.

Councillor Tony Thomas, Cabinet Lead Member for Housing, Regulation and the Environment, said: “We are delighted that the on-going efforts in Rhyl is working well. We are seeing a marked improvement in how the local community looks and feels and people seem to be taking more of a pride in how their property looks.  Our education efforts seem to be working.

“However, we continue to have properties or individuals here who think it’s acceptable to fly-tip and the message is still not getting through.  If we come across examples of people fly-tipping, we look through the rubbish to see whether any information that identifies the culprits.  

“We will continue to work with our partners to help improve the quality of life for residents and to clean up the town’s streets. With significant developments going on along the seafront and work progressing with the Rhyl Masterplan consultation, it essential that the close working relationship in West Rhyl changes perceptions and make living there a positive experience for residents."

Of course, fly-tipping happens in other parts of the county. This incident at Graianrhyd near Llanarmon yn Iâl saw a load of agricultural waste dumped on a bridleway, much to the annoyance of local residents.

If you see people fly-tipping, please report it to 01824 706000, providing as many details as possible of the offenders. You can also report a problem through the Council’s website: www.denbighshire.gov.uk.