Fed-up Stoke-on-Trent residents are calling for action after rubbish is continually dumped in alleyways. This is despite signs warning of surveillance taking place in the area.

Portland Street and Rutland Street in Cobridge are being plagued by dumped rubbish which is causing rats to become a problem. However residents have blamed a few bad actors for the problem.

One resident who didn't want to be named said: "I've got cats and a lot of my neighbours have got cats, so it's not really safe for them. One thing I did say to the council was at one point a lot of this was being set on fire and that's just a waste of the fire brigade's time.

"There's no litter picking in the street anymore. They don't have the sweepers that come down the back because they've cut it all. There are a few people around here who couldn't care less but then there are people like myself who would like it to look good.

"There are people trying to sell their house in the area and it just brings the house price down. It's a shame because when the council have cleaned it up as well this stuff just magically appears. There is a lot of private rent around here as well so I think when people move out at student times all the stuff just gets dumped."

Portland Street and Rutland Street in Cobridge are being plagued by dumped rubbish (LDRS).

Resident Mary Summers said: "It has got better recently. You still get it occasionally but the council are normally quite good at picking it up. I would say the main problem is that some of the waste blows everywhere."

"You get the situation though where they come and pick it up and within a couple of days more rubbish is dumped. The problem is that a few people are doing it and they just don't care."

In recent weeks Stoke-on-Trent City Council have launched the 'Love Your Street' campaign which is targeting the six streets most flytipped throughout the city. In the past 12 months Portland Street has received 41 reports of illegal dumping.

Now with £46,000 of funding secured from DEFRA will provide eight new mobilised CCTV cameras, which will enable the council to target more areas. Since the flytipping crackdown was announced in June 2023 over 3500 fixed penalty notices have been issued and 8400 incidents of flytipping have been cleared.

Councillor Amjid Wazir, cabinet member for city pride, enforcement and sustainability said: "We have made no secret of wanting residents to take pride in where they live. Ownership starts as soon as someone decides to act inconsiderably, its now time to stop, think and take action. The amenities available for all residents to dispose of waste legally have never been easier

"While we are targeting these streets, we want the rest of the city to also take action. It takes a few minutes out of your day to do the right thing, and put rubbish in the appropriate bin, or arrange for a bulky waste collection. We are serious about penalising those who continue to blight the city, and action will be taken. Please, do the right thing.

"We have pledged to make the city safer, cleaner and greener, building empowered communities, conserving our environment and working together to clean up our city and communities, and that starts on our doorsteps."

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