Rubbish dumped at a Huddersfield play park has made parents and children "sick to their stomachs"

Huge piles of rubbish dumped and left to rot at a play park since March have made parents and children "sick to their stomachs", councillors have heard. By: Adam Smith.

Parents and councillors are becoming increasingly frustrated with the levels of fly-tipping at a play park in Huddersfield, which has been accumulating since March.

The issue was raised at a meeting of Kirklees Council's cabinet, where members were told that Yew Hills Road play area in Thornton Lodge has become a "grot spot" for fly-tippers.

Old mattresses, luggage and black bin bags have been repeatedly dumped at the park, which is used by local children.

One ward councillor expressed her disappointment that volunteers have had to pick up the waste, as children should be able to play safely at the park without this being a concern.

The council explained that part of the issue is the local authority's budget restraints, but they are committed to doing whatever they can to make the play area safe for children and to keep the area clean.

However, councillors are becoming increasingly tired of raising the issue with little progress being made.

One councillor, Jo Lawson, highlighted that a pile of black bin bags at the park keeps growing and that it's a known fly-tipping hot spot, yet it apparently doesn't warrant covert monitoring by the council.

She added that she's also concerned about waste being collected by volunteers, as it's putting a strain on their time and effort.

Ms Lawson stated that bags of litter collected by volunteers from a litter pick on Manchester Road in her ward have been sitting there since February, despite the volunteers' efforts to keep the area clean.

She further pointed out that the council should be championing the volunteers and thanking them for their contributions, rather than leaving them feeling like their efforts are in vain.

In response to the concerns raised, the council's cabinet member for environment and highways, Munir Ahmed, said that he's had extensive discussions about the situation and that they are exploring partnerships with other organisations and residents to combat the issue.

Ahmed also noted that the council is doing whatever it can within its budgetary constraints to maintain the play area and keep it safe for children.

Another councillor, Imran Safdar, pressed for CCTV cameras to be installed at the play area to deter fly-tippers.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Safdar said: "We've asked for this so many times - the residents, the place of worship, the pensioners.

"The children and the parents of the area are sick and tired, they've had enough of seeing fly tips."

The play area has been a target for fly-tippers throughout the spring and early summer.

Earlier this year, another councillor, Jean Starkey, raised the issue of mattresses being dumped at the play area and how quickly the rubbish piles up.

At the time, Starkey said that the play area is a "beautiful little gem" that is used by a lot of children, but it's a shame that it's also a magnet for fly-tippers.

She added that the council is doing what it can to collect the rubbish, but they need the help of local people to report any suspicious activity.

The issue of fly-tipping has become increasingly pressing in recent years, as council budgets have been slashed and people are faced with hefty charges for bulky waste collection.

This has led to some people resorting to dumping their rubbish in illegal tips, such as play areas and car parks.

The problem is exacerbated in areas where there are few council tips and those that do exist are open limited hours.

According to government figures, there were over 1.5 million cases of fly-tipping reported in England in 2022, an increase of 10% on the previous year.

The total cost of clearing up fly-tipped waste is estimated to be around £150 million per year.