A WAR of words has broken out between Coventry Confidential and the city council about fly-tipping and the bin strike.
Coventry Confidential says it has been hearing first-hand accounts of anger and frustration from residents who they say have told them ‘it has been going on for years’.
The campaign group has posted pictures of some of the ‘worst areas’ in the city, including Freeman Street where they said residents had complained to them about
Phil Street from Coventry Confidential said: “These are shocking claims about the council’s failure to stop fly tipping.
“Residents claim it has been going on for years.
“The council needs to end this fly tipping horror story. But it’s not just fly tipping.
“Just look at how the council has spent £2.8million on contractors to break the bin strike rather than find the much lower figure of £300k to pay workers.
“It’s no surprise that they can’t even find the will to stop the fly tipping on Freeman Street.”
He criticised the salary being paid to the chief executive which – he claimed – at £191,036 made him one of the ‘highest paid local authority employees in the country’
“The people of Coventry deserve better than this.”
But the city council hit back.
A spokesperson for Coventry City Council said: “Coventry Confidential is not the independent community group it claims to be as it is supported by the union Unite – which has organised the ongoing bin driver strikes – and this connection is stated in the leaflets it has distributed.
“Any resident that has an issue that they want to report should do so in the established ways which will result in real action.
“As a council, we are committed to putting residents and their needs at the heart of everything we do, but we need people to contact us and talk to us if they have an issue so we can work with them to make it right.
“These are the correct systems to use, not a disingenuous, unaccountable social media channel that presents itself as something it is not and directly attacks the reputation of the council, its elected members and officers, and does nothing to bring the council and residents together.
“Our processes work, and if people are not satisfied there is information on how to take the matter further through the independent Local Government Ombudsman.
“We would urge anyone with an issue to contact us directly and we promise to work with them and do our best to find a solution.”
