Lib Dem councillor Lynne Featherstone has welcomed action by HaringeyCouncil to ensure that litter / fly-tipping blackspots around the OdeonCinema and Athenaeum Mews, Muswell Hill are resolved. She has been pressingthe Council for action for several months.

The two areas have received public criticism in recent weeks, and HaringeyCouncil had previously washed its hands of the responsibility, citing theOdeon cinema and Sainsbury’s supermarket as responsible for the cleansing ofthese areas.

However, Haringey Council has now sent a warning letter to Sainsbury’s,pointing out the requirement under the Duty of Care Environmental ProtectionAct 1990, section 47 to provide suitable receptacles for the storage ofwaste and (section 34) to deal with waste escape from receptacles.

In response, Sainsbury’s has given an undertaking to clear all the piled uprefuse from the area. All neighbouring businesses have received lettersadvising them of their responsibility with regard to waste disposal.

A new legal notice, called a ‘Cleansing Notice’, is now available to HaringeyCouncil to impose on the other blackspot, the Odeon car park. Lib Demcouncillors have pressed for years for the area to be regularly cleared offly-tipped rubbish and litter, but in the past have been stonewalled by theCouncil who have said that it was not public property and they werepowerless.

The new notice would require the cinema to sweep and cleanse the land once aweek if there is no improvement in the area’s cleanliness. However on aninspection earlier this week council officers reported significantimprovements with litter and fly-tipped rubbish cleared by cinema staffregularly.

Cllr Featherstone comments:

“I am pleased that finally action is being taken to resolve these twoblackspots. However I am concerned that it has taken so much pressure fromresidents, councillors and the press to get Haringey Council to take seriousaction.

“Haringey Council must get its priorities right and respond to issues raisedby Haringey residents and their representatives, and not wait for a few badheadlines.”