Somerset Town Residents Angered by Persistent Overflowing Bin Issues

Crewkerne has a growing problem. Bins clutter the streets, and people want action to clean up the town. Councillor Jan Nathan spoke about this issue and is worried about bins left out, which recent storms made worse.

She mentioned the issue at a council meeting, noting more storms are coming and people leave bins out all the time. This causes fly-tipping and waste issues. Cllr Nathan said North Street looked like a mess, with bins flying everywhere because they are always left out.

Cllr Nathan said the old part of town is a big problem, therefore she wants stricter rules enforced there. Narrow pavements and old houses look bad as bins spoil the area’s appearance. Websites say bins must be removed and should not be on public land.

Councillor Steve Ashton was unsure and asked about planning rules. He doubts they apply to bins on pavements and thinks planning authorities can’t act, making it hard to enforce rules about bins.

Cllr Nathan disagreed and said people get new bins. Their old bins get lost in storms, straining the council’s money because people don’t look for lost bins. They simply order new ones from the council.

She also wants better communication with people, noting newsletters don’t seem to help. She complained years ago to the council, and they contacted some residents. The bins were gone for a few weeks, but now, the bins are back out again. She wants a stronger message to people: Bins must be taken in.