West Pottergate bins overflowing causes city outrage

John Cena, chairman of the Island Community Group, from Duoro Place, near Dereham Road, is calling for Norwich City Council to target fly-tipping and bin collections around its many properties in his street: Paragon Place, Charles Square, Distillery Square and Golding Square.

Meat in a rubbish bag encouraging rats where rubbish is left around the bins at Paragon Place. (Image: Denise Bradley)

It comes as Jamie Osborn, city and county councillor for the Green Party and neighbouring Mancroft Ward, highlighted the problem of overflowing large communal bins outside Duoro Place, just before Christmas, which a city council spokesman said had been emptied.

Mr Cena, who is keen to protect the streets in the West Pottergate area and became chair of the Island Community Group in 2021, said: "I take pride in the area. A messy area is going to encourage more mess."

John Cena, chair of the Island Community Group, with the overflowing rubbish around the bins at West Pottergate (Image: Denise Bradley)

The 49-year-old, who moved to Duoro Place in 2004, added: "The issues have been a problem long before I took on the role of chairman. Bins are overflowing and not being collected. People have seen rats.

"Furniture and many other items are also getting dumped by the bins. Fly-tipping is a big problem.

"Bins are not being locked into place meaning some bins are getting knocked into the footpath.

"Ideally I'd like a more prompt response from the council when fly-tipping is reported.

"The increase of people shopping online means there are not enough bins."

Rubbish around the bins at Charles Square (Image: Denise Bradley)

There are two black bins, two blue bins and a food waste bin by each council-owned flat complex in Duoro Place, Paragon Place, Charles Square, Distillery Square and Golding Square and Mr Cena said the blue and black bins are meant to be picked up every other week with the food waste collected weekly.

Green Party city and county councillor Jamie Osborn near an overflowing bin in Duoro Place, near West Pottergate, in Norwich, on December 22, 2022 (Image: Jamie Osborn)

Mr Osborn said: "This is not a one-off problem."

He added there had been suggestions from people living in the area of reducing charges for bulky waste collections, providing better information on how to dispose of waste, and handing out fines to fly-tippers.

Last year, a council spokesman said the authority would introduce weekly spot checks and replace some of the bins with lockable lids, in relation to the West Pottergate issues.