Fly-tipping down as Goldthorpe housing regeneration begins

Despite that, a specialist council officer working in the area still reported 85 incidents of rubbish being illegally dumped - almost one every day.

A private sector housing and cohesion officer has been employed by Dearne Area Council, a sub-body of Barnsley Council, to work with private tenants and landlords in the area, to improve conditions.

Redundant terraced housing in the Victoria Street and Cooperative Street area of Goldthorpe is being replaced with modern homes, as part of a wide-ranging scheme to help rejuvenate the area, and that has removed some of the back-alleys which attracted fly-tippers.

Others have gone from the Ingsfield Lane area in Bolton on Dearne.

A report to Dearne Area Council says that while fly-tipping remains a ‘significant’ issue in the area, there had been a ‘noticeable decrease in incidents following demolition work’.

That regeneration project has brought other problems, however, with several break-ins and damage to perimeter fencing reported at weekends.

The officer’s other duties include helping to ensure tenants have homes maintained to a suitable standard and 11 cases were passed on by health workers.

Two of those had formal improvement notices issued, with other cases still ongoing.

However, councillors have been told in the report: “There is still a reluctance from tenants to complain due to fear of higher rents and eviction.”

The officer’s role is also to deal with tenants who cause problems, and in the last quarter, 28 incidents of gardens either piled with waste or badly overgrown were logged.

Those involved are initially sent warning letters, asking them to make improvements.

That approach does not always work, however, and in four cases notices were served under the Prevention of Damage By Pests Act, with two Community Protection Notices also issued.

Elsewhere in the community, volunteers play an important role supporting the work of the environmental services team, also funded by the area council.

They encourage volunteers to support their work and over three months, 130 people put in 222 hours, valued at more than £3,000.

That included work to tidy up Thurnscoe Plaza, clearing rubbish and planting 300 bulbs.