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From: Owen Ward
Sent: 16 July 2019 16:23
To: keir.starmer.mp@parliament.uk <keir.starmer.mp@parliament.uk>
Subject: FW: Bloomsbury Litter

Dear Mr Starmer,

I am sorry to have to bother you with this. I have excessively pestered the council and even
threatened legal action, but they have done nothing.
Bloomsbury is in an absolutely disgusting state of dirtiness. I have started to keep a photo
diary of the situation.

13/07/2019 - https://photos.app.goo.gl/tYR49aNvYHMpQvB59
14/07/2019 - https://photos.app.goo.gl/hfavRVUjGUjd6uhC7
15/07/2019 - https://photos.app.goo.gl/QbotCTLnqcA2acYTA

I have sent about six emails over the past few days and even contacted Historic England as
we are in a conservation area. Only one councillor (of the three Kings Cross ones that I have
emailed) has responded, and hasn't really done or said anything. I emailed multiple other
councillors as well 'environment', 'communities' etc. I have attached correspondence if you
are interested.

I originally contacted them about long term solutions to the problem. As if in response, the
area has become incredibly dirty since then, with seemingly no street cleans for at least a
week. I saw five street cleaners on a single road some distance from here, sitting around
smoking, around Great Ormond Street - so perhaps it is an administrative problem with
Veolia - who knows.
Amongst fly tips, dead pigeons, general waste and fag ends, many bins have not been
emptied.
I found the government's guidelines to waste and litter; the link is below. Simply put, it says
that if the council don't keep the streets clean, especially when requested to do so, they can
face action from the Magistrate's Court. The response time to requests is supposed to be a
day or so here (I am no expert on this). I started taking photos three days ago - there had
been considerable build up before then.

This is a recurring problem. A few months ago I had to make a complaint to the Council
about the state of the public squares - during the February heatwave, I seem to recall, all
bins overflowed and the squares were covered in mess. Squares of London are covered by
extra legislation however and after I quoted this and threatened the council, everything was
cleared within a day. Each time though, the council points the finger at Veolia. But the
council holds the ultimate responsibility for keeping the place clean.

Now, I don't really want to go to court - any fines placed on the council are in the end fines
placed on us. I wonder if there is anything that you can do to first get the streets clean, and
keep them clean. If you have the time to read the guidelines, or know them already, you will
see that the council is more or less legally obliged to keep these streets spotless. Upon
report of litter, it should be cleared by 6pm the next day, or 8am the next morning - I am
unsure. Either way, both deadlines have been missed.

I appreciate that by the time you read this and respond, probably the council will have
cleared the mess up when the street cleaners come here as part of their schedule. But that
does not mean the problem is solved - the real problem is the fact that it happened at all,
and the council were not responsible in responding to my complaints and clearing the
streets. In one of the emails, an officer assures me that the request will have a response
within two weeks - it is laughable.

Beyond my emails, I called Veolia once - they just filled in the form for me again - and I
called Jahnelle four times over the past couple of days - each time it rang out.

I have not explained all the details and all my qualms. I doubt that you really would like to
understand them all, but if you do, I have attached all the correspondence that I have sent
regarding the matter. I suppose it is also evidence that I have really gone beyond the
reasonable already to try and solve this problem independently. It is shameful that I have
been essentially ignored.

Best regards,
Owen Ward

From: Hutton-Parr, Jahnelle <Jahnelle.Hutton-Parr@camden.gov.uk>
Sent: 16 July 2019 10:29
To: Owen Ward
Cc: Simpson, Jonathan (Councillor)
Subject: RE: Bloomsbury Litter

Dear Owen,

Apologies for missing your calls. I understand your frustration and I am chasing officers on
this.
I will get back to you by the end of the day.

Best regards,

Jahnelle.

--
Jahnelle Hutton-Parr
Member Support Officer

Telephone: +442079742407

From: Owen Ward

Sent: 15 July 2019 20:54
To: Hutton-Parr, Jahnelle <Jahnelle.Hutton-Parr@camden.gov.uk>
Subject: FW: Bloomsbury Litter

Dear Jahnelle,

I replied to your email and tried to call you twice. I have forwarded you this email.

Best regards,
Owen Ward

From: Owen Ward

Sent: 15 July 2019 20:49
To: Simpson, Jonathan
(Councillor); georgie.robertson@camden.gov.uk; abdul.hai@camden.gov.uk; Adam.Harrison@camd
en.gov.uk
Subject: Bloomsbury Litter

Dear All,

I just went on my evening walk - I have attached the photos. Still, the litter is not cleared.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/QbotCTLnqcA2acYTA

Litter 15/7/2019
45 new photos added to
shared album
photos.app.goo.gl
I wonder if you are aware about the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_
data/file/221087/pb11577b-cop-litter.pdf

It states that after littering is reported in an area such as this, the litter should be cleared
within a day. However it has not been cleared. I have been extremely persistent about this,
but nothing has happened. The advice is to seek a litter abatement notice from the
Magistrates Court.

Please get someone to clean up these streets now.

Best regards,
Owen Ward
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