Hounslow Council is empowering residents to combat fly-tipping by supporting the establishment of local action groups.
The initiative, discussed at the Hanworth Area Forum, aims to coordinate community efforts, improve understanding of site ownership, and clarify reporting routes and clearance schedules for environmental issues.
Councillor Conrad Brown, who provided an update on the fly-tipping and litter action group, explained that councillors and officers are working with residents who have raised concerns about ongoing fly-tipping and litter hotspots in Hanworth Village. These local action groups will help to bring residents and council services together.
The proposed structure and operational model involve bringing residents and council services together
to coordinate action, improve understanding of site ownership and responsibilities, and provide greater clarity around reporting routes and clearance schedules.
The level of autonomy for these groups is not specified.
A potential challenge the council anticipates is the issue of multiple landowners at some fly-tipping locations, where responsibility can be unclear and clean-up efforts can take longer. The council plans to address this by supporting residents to establish action groups that will improve understanding of site ownership and responsibilities.
A community meeting is planned to agree on a programme of collective actions. In the meantime, residents are encouraged to continue reporting issues through Fix My Street, their local councillors, or the council's customer service team, as every report helps to build a clearer picture of local issues and supports more effective action.
Councillor Brown also highlighted that a workshop section would be included in the next area forum where residents can specifically raise issues and discuss concerns with officers to create a plan together. Further details on the forum can be found in the Public reports pack.