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09
Aug 2023
Call for urgent review of new bins after dog poo bags litter Jennyfields
A councillor has called for an urgent review of litter bins in the Jennyfields area of Harrogate after reports of dog poo bags piling up.
North Yorkshire Council has removed three bins close to Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre — formerly the Hydro — and replaced them with two larger bins.
The old bins were situated in areas used by walkers and dog owners but the new ones are alongside main roads.
This makes them easier to empty but less convenient for people using the fields around the leisure centre to use.
Consequently litter and dog waste bags are being left to pile up.
Councillor Michael Harrison, a Conservative who represents the area on North Yorkshire Council, said the new bins were designed for dog waste and general waste and are emptied by household waste collection crews rather than requiring a separate collection.
He added:
Dog owners are discarding dog waste where the bins used to be on the fields rather than carry it to Ripon Road.
Jennyfields residents have contacted the Stray Ferret with their concerns since the new bins arrived last week.
Elizabeth Horner said:
Dog walker Diana Salama added:
Ms Salama said there was particular anger at the removal of the bin next to the basketball court.
The field near the basketball court.
The Stray Ferret spoke to several dog walkers in the area this morning who agreed. They said the amount of litter and dog waste in this area, where young people congregate, was worrying.
We asked North Yorkshire Council why the change had been made and whether any consultation had been carried out.
However, a spokesperson said the officer responsible was currently on leave and therefore it could not comment.
New bins being rolled out across Harrogate district
The new bin policy is being rolled out across the Harrogate district. About 250 small bins are being replaced by larger ones.
Dog walkers in nearby Knox expressed concerns in June when the change was implemented there.
Maxie Schiffman-Rowinski has complained to the council about the new dog waste bin in front of her house in Knox.
Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge on the council, said the situation would be reviewed at the end of next month.
Cllr Haslam said the new approach freed up time for the street cleansing team to do other jobs, such as sweep streets.
He added it was also more environmentally friendly because the larger bins contained wheelie bins that could be emptied by machines whereas the smaller old bins contained plastic bags that had to be replaced regularly.
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