Wales concerned about charity bin 'proliferation'
Concerns have been raised by Councillor Debra Wales at the proliferation of charity clothing bins in the Peninsula area which are being used as dumping grounds for house hold rubbish.
Calls have been made on the General Manager of Gosford City Council to review the Council's policy on charity clothing bins so as to halt the dumping of rubbish on footpaths.
"This is becoming a serious problem which is degrading our footpaths and public reserves", said Cr Wales.
"At present, charities apply to have the clothing bins placed on Council property.
"As a result, we have groupings of up to six bins placed in our public parks, road shoulders and car parks without any consideration being made to the visual amenity of these public spaces.
"Unfortunately, the clothing bins have become an open invitation for certain elements in our community to dump household waste, refuse and broken furniture in an effort to avoid taking rubbish to the local tip.
Cr Wales said it was an unacceptable situation to have prominent public spaces such as the Patonga Beach foreshore, the waterfront at Woy Woy Bay and main entry points to the central business districts such as Picnic Parade at Ettalong Beach used for charity clothing bins and dumping grounds for rubbish.
"Over the Christmas break, visitors to Ettalong Beach were greeted by piles of broken house hold furniture, mattresses and rotting garbage which were dumped Rubbish awaiting collection at the clothing bins at Picnic Parade," she said.
"These people obviously have no civic pride and care little for our community.
Cr Wales has called for the policy to be amended so that all clothing bins are to be relocated to church yards, school car parks and service stations so they can be properly monitored and controlled.
"The clothing bins are not owned by the charities but by a private company and leased to the charity organisations," she said.
"I fully support the charity bin concept but not when the system allows our parks and public spaces to be used as dumping grounds.
"The policy should be tightened to ensure that the use of bins is strictly monitored and controlled." Councillor Wales will also be requesting that Council review the policy on the annual rubbish pic~ ups on footpath areas as, in recent months, large quantities of house hold rubbish have been left on Peninsula streets for weeks at a time waiting for removal by Council contractors.
Cr Lynne Bockholt has advocated similar changes.