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WALTHAMSTOW: Man slams rat-infested "slum"
A WALTHAMSTOW resident has likened the rat-infested rubbish outside his home to the slums in India.
Joe Walters, 31, blames a lack of wheely bins outside the Victorian flats above shops in Tower Mews for causing a build-up of rubbish in bin bags, which are attracting vermin and creating repugnant smells.
Piles of black bin bags and loose waste are visible - as are many rat traps.
Mr Walters has been requesting a wheely bin from the local authority for two months, but has not received one and said he has been attacked by rats twice when climbing past uncontained refuse.
He said: "There are a lot of people living above the shops without bins and waste being thrown on top which exascerbates the problem.
"I have lived in India, and it smells like the bad parts of Calcutta.
"I have phoned the council so many times but I get the feeling we have been forgotten about because we are down a dead-end alleyway. We should all receive a decent refuse service. It is our right."
Mr Walters, an orchestral muscian who grew up in Upper Walthamstow, tried to request bins for his neighbours but was told each household must contact the council individually. He said he has tried asking neighbours to request bins, but some didn't understand because English is their second language.
He said: "Many don't understand me or know the procedure. But it should not be down to me to go and tell them. I lived in Calcutta for a year and have never lived in these conditions."
Recycling is also a problem for the residents because although the council will issue recycling boxes, the mews is not yet on the collection route.
This is creating more household waste being left in bin bags, and conflicts with the local authority's strict recycling policy, whereby households and businesses can be fined for not recycling.
12:20pm Monday 12th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Mr Khalid, Walthamstow on 12:44pm Mon 12 May 08
Have you spoken with your local Councillor regarding this.
How bad is the smell?
Have you spoken with your local Councillor regarding this.
How bad is the smell?
Posted by: Gary, e17 on 2:07pm Mon 12 May 08
This is common in flats and increases the likelihood of fly tipping. Take a look at Third Avenue, bags everywhere.
As for complulsory recycling.....
This is common in flats and increases the likelihood of fly tipping. Take a look at Third Avenue, bags everywhere.
As for complulsory recycling.....
Posted by: technomist, walthamstow on 3:05pm Mon 12 May 08
It was only afew weeks ago that Loakes was having his photo taken in the so-called 'Town Square' trying to pretend he was on top of the litter issues. This was not two hundred yards from where Mr Walters is talking about. That of course, was not a serious attempt to make anything better, just a publicity stunt by a desparate politician trying to get people to support his raggedy-arsed regime; wrapping himself up in the Olympic flag as he did it.
The reality is that they are not as very good at the basics we all pay them for at the council, like clean streets and regular, professional rubbish collection services. I have seen loads of piles of rubbish behind shops all the way up the High Street. It sits there for weeks on end and makes the area very unpleasant for residents and passers-by.
If it were Calcutta, much of it would actually be taken away and recycled very much more quickly than the cuncil can manage.
There seems to be a huge gap between the rhetoric of the council on a lot of the rubbish issues (fines for not recycling if you please) and the shabby reality. Also a fair bit of self-deception. I well remember a councillor who came to my door before the last council elections asking me if I had any local concerns. I said I did - rubbish collection and street cleaning was not good enough. She snapped at me that I was wrong, at 'they' had done a survey.
I simply said - 'then why did you ask me what I was concerned about?' She turned on her heels and stormed up off the road. That was the last I saw of her- she was voted out of office the following week. Poor Mr Walters should not have to wait so long however. The council needs to get its finger out now and clean up the neighbourhood properly- and keep it clean. No gimmicks are needed, just hard work.
It was only afew weeks ago that Loakes was having his photo taken in the so-called 'Town Square' trying to pretend he was on top of the litter issues. This was not two hundred yards from where Mr Walters is talking about. That of course, was not a serious attempt to make anything better, just a publicity stunt by a desparate politician trying to get people to support his raggedy-arsed regime; wrapping himself up in the Olympic flag as he did it.
The reality is that they are not as very good at the basics we all pay them for at the council, like clean streets and regular, professional rubbish collection services. I have seen loads of piles of rubbish behind shops all the way up the High Street. It sits there for weeks on end and makes the area very unpleasant for residents and passers-by.
If it were Calcutta, much of it would actually be taken away and recycled very much more quickly than the cuncil can manage.
There seems to be a huge gap between the rhetoric of the council on a lot of the rubbish issues (fines for not recycling if you please) and the shabby reality. Also a fair bit of self-deception. I well remember a councillor who came to my door before the last council elections asking me if I had any local concerns. I said I did - rubbish collection and street cleaning was not good enough. She snapped at me that I was wrong, at 'they' had done a survey.
I simply said - 'then why did you ask me what I was concerned about?' She turned on her heels and stormed up off the road. That was the last I saw of her- she was voted out of office the following week. Poor Mr Walters should not have to wait so long however. The council needs to get its finger out now and clean up the neighbourhood properly- and keep it clean. No gimmicks are needed, just hard work.
Posted by: beepee, Louth on 3:40pm Mon 12 May 08
[quote]If it were Calcutta, much of it would actually be taken away and recycled very much more quickly than the cuncil can manage.[/quote] When I first read it I thought "cuncil" was a spelling error, thinking about it, I'm not so sure.
If it were Calcutta, much of it would actually be taken away and recycled very much more quickly than the cuncil can manage.
When I first read it I thought "cuncil" was a spelling error, thinking about it, I'm not so sure.
Posted by: Mr Khalid, walthamstow on 3:54pm Mon 12 May 08
is jokeded becose pay the polls tax and is no want take mys rubish? matress chipchikens box pixzy box chip fish al
is jokeded becose pay the polls tax and is no want take mys rubish? matress chipchikens box pixzy box chip fish al
Posted by: Sceptic, E17 on 8:32pm Mon 12 May 08
I sympathise. Last year the street-cleaning stopped for about six months. We were never told why. We pretty soon had gutters choked with rubbish, and junk piling up. The big difference between here and a third-world country is that over here, we're paying a fortune for it!
I sympathise. Last year the street-cleaning stopped for about six months. We were never told why. We pretty soon had gutters choked with rubbish, and junk piling up. The big difference between here and a third-world country is that over here, we're paying a fortune for it!
Posted by: Paul Delaney, Hainault on 3:41pm Tue 13 May 08
Another benefit of "multi-culturalism" we get to enjoy Asian slums.
Another benefit of "multi-culturalism" we get to enjoy Asian slums.
Posted by: Raju Taxi driver, Walthamstow on 6:50pm Tue 20 May 08
[quote][bold]beepee[/bold] wrote:
[quote]If it were Calcutta, much of it would actually be taken away and recycled very much more quickly than the cuncil can manage.[/quote] When I first read it I thought \"cuncil\" was a spelling error, thinking about it, I\'m not so sure.[/quote] Rats no acha hai, rubbish hai smell hai. Joe Walters good man hai, mayor of Walthamstow should be hai. He like chipchickens box no hai. Diwali hai.
beepee wrote:
If it were Calcutta, much of it would actually be taken away and recycled very much more quickly than the cuncil can manage.
When I first read it I thought \"cuncil\" was a spelling error, thinking about it, I\'m not so sure.
Rats no acha hai, rubbish hai smell hai. Joe Walters good man hai, mayor of Walthamstow should be hai. He like chipchickens box no hai. Diwali hai.
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