A new commission has been set up to investigate the amount of fly tipping and littering in the north of the borough.

Croydon North MP Steve Reed has set up the commission to look into what he calls a growing litter crisis in the area.

He believes people from outside Croydon are targeting the area for flytipping because they think the council is a soft touch.

But Tony Brooks, Croydon Council’s director of public safety who looks after waste and recycling, said the majority of fly tipping was residential and household waste, that likely came from within the borough.

He said: "The responsibility is for us, as residents and a community, to acknowledge that you are spoiling your own environment if you are putting rubbish on the streets.

"My message to residents would be don’t put this stuff on the street or by the side of a bin. Put it in the bin, not on top or on the side."

Mr Reed said: "People dump their rubbish here and think they can get away with it. That isn’t the fault of our residents but the fault of our complacent and incompetent council."

The commission will be politically independent and is chaired by Nero Ughwujabo, chief executive of the Croydon BME Forum.

Its members include representatives from businesses, churches, mosques and residents associations in Croydon North.

Public hearings taking place and community groups, schools, businesses and residents will be giving evidence about the problem.

Residents can submit evidence such as photographs to the commission’s website, croydonstreetscommission.com

 

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