SHOPKEEPERS on Richmond Hill are outraged that despite the heavy rates they pay and their attempts to run small local businesses, they are being fined by the council for putting out their rubbish.

On January 15th Nima Chemist and other shopkeepers on Friars Style Road received a letter from Richmond upon Thames Council informing them of proceedings against them as a result of waste being left on the highway outside the premises.

Denbigh Gardens resident Torben Petersen wrote to the council's chief executive Gillian Norton to complain about proceedings against Nima Chemist, where he has been a regular customer for the last 30 years.

He said: "Small retailers in Friars Stile Road have difficulty enough in surviving competition with the large local supermarkets. However many residents on Richmond Hill find them extremely useful and endeavour to support them. This shop is a credit to the community. I find it totally unacceptable that council officers sit in their offices, in front of their computer word processors writing letters .... instead of going out to speak to our traders in Friars Stile Road asking about their problems. A little humanity and common sense goes a long way."

Mr Sundeep Amin, manager at Nima Chemist said: "I view this to be outrageous. We are paying rents for the council to come and collect our rubbish irrespective of what colour bag it is in and the council should collect it.

"We are meant to put shop waste in white bags and we are allocated two of these a week, but at the beginning of the month we get bigger deliveries and we don't have sufficient white bags, so we put it out in other bags.

"The rubbish collectors are very understanding and they will collect them, but it is the council officer who sends us these letters.

"All the other shopkeepers here had similar letters and feel this is really getting out of hand. They have not given us a designated time for collections. We are told that they will come from 6am or 7am until any time during the day. If we leave our rubbish out overnight then the foxes come and rip the bags apart and it is not fair on residents in the area.

If the council tell us to leave rubbish out between 10am and 12 noon, for example, everyone can do it that way.

"What we need is a specific time for collection, not an enforcement officer.

"Begrudgingly, we will pay the fine but we already pay enough rates to the council."

Pravin Patel owner of Chatfield News, 46b Friars Stile Road, said he is not going to pay any fines. He said: "I live in Lewisham and my road there is far cleaner than any in Richmond. I have been here for the last five and a half years and in all that time I have had to fight with the council about rubbish.

They say we have to leave rubbish for collection at 7.30 am but the shops don't open until 9am so that is when they leave rubbish out. If we leave it out overnight the foxes rip the bags open or they are kicked by people coming out of the pubs and the rubbish ends up all over the street.

"They do not give us enough white bags and if we put the rubbish in black bags the enforcement officer comes along and empties them all over the pavement looking for the shop's address and takes photos. What a waste of public money "

A council spokesman said: "Commercial waste producers can have as many sacks as they choose to pay for. Any unpaid for waste left on the highway is illegally deposited, and may render the producer liable to prosecution.

"A main role of the council's waste enforcement officer is to stop the dumping of refuse sacks on our streets. Waste is searched in order to establish its origin. Any evidence is retained and may be produced in court should proceedings occur. In such a situation, the refuse in question is cleared by the enforcement officer, though large quantities may have to be repacked and left for subsequent collection by refuse vehicles.

"The council has notified all of its customers that white sacks should normally be put out between 5.30pm-6pm, for collection during the evening.

"If a business fails to adhere to these collection times, several written notifications are sent warning of possible legal action. If these warnings are not heeded then the council can either prosecute or issue a Fixed Penalty Notice giving the opportunity to pay £50 within 14 days to avoid prosecution."

January 31, 2003 10:01