New community collection days will make it easier for Croydon residents to dispose of bulky household items as part of a major package of action announced by Executive Mayor Jason Perry to tackle fly-tipping and improve neighbourhoods.
The announcements were made at the first of the Mayor’s new-format Residents’ Association Forums, held on Tuesday evening. The forums deliver on his pledge to create more opportunities to speak directly with community groups and hear their priorities.
This wider programme of engagement includes a new Motorists’ Forum, a Friends of Parks meeting and the already established Faith Leaders’ meeting.
The new community collection days will be delivered in partnership with residents’ associations, bringing bulky waste collections closer to residents who may be unable to take larger items to a household reuse and recycling centre themselves.
Where possible, collected items will be reused or recycled, helping to reduce waste, divert items from landfill and prevent fly-tipping. The council will work with residents’ associations to organise and promote the collection days, with the first locations and dates to be announced in the coming weeks.
The Mayor has also directed council officers to begin the process of expanding the opening hours of Croydon’s household reuse and recycling centres. Officers have also been asked to explore allowing trade waste to be accepted at the sites.
Together, these measures are intended to address some of the practical barriers often cited when waste is dumped illegally, including limited opportunities to dispose of bulky household items, restricted opening hours and the lack of a local option for trade waste.
The council’s pioneering blitz clean programme will also return, with major cleans planned for Thornton Heath, Norbury, Selhurst, Shirley and New Addington during the next financial year.
Croydon’s blitz cleans bring council services together to tackle problems identified by residents, including street cleansing, environmental enforcement, highways maintenance, licensing and trading standards. Graffiti will be removed and local businesses provided with graffiti removal kits to help them keep their premises clean.
First introduced in Croydon and since adopted by other London boroughs, the programme is designed to drive up standards in local and district centres and ensure they are clean, welcoming places residents can be proud of.
Pop-up mobile recycling centres will also return across the borough, providing further opportunities for residents to dispose of household goods, small electrical appliances, batteries and vapes responsibly.
The package forms part of Mayor Perry’s first 100 days following his re-election and supports his zero-tolerance approach to antisocial behaviour, environmental crime and fly-tipping.
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon, said:
“My first 100 days since being re-elected have been about hitting the ground running and acting on what residents have told me matters most.
“I was pleased to announce these measures at the first of our new Residents’ Association Forums. These meetings are an important part of my commitment to listen directly to residents and community groups, understand their priorities and act on what they tell us.
“Zero tolerance means taking firm action against those who deliberately fly-tip and blight our neighbourhoods. It also means making it as straightforward as possible for residents and businesses to dispose of their waste properly.
“That is why we are introducing new community collection days, working with residents’ associations to bring bulky waste collections closer to people’s homes. I have also directed council officers to begin the process of expanding the opening hours of our recycling centres and to explore allowing trade waste to be accepted.
“Our pioneering blitz cleans will return too, with Thornton Heath, Norbury, Selhurst and New Addington benefiting during the next financial year. By bringing council services together, we can tackle the issues residents raise and make a visible difference to these important local centres.
“Residents put their trust in me because they know Croydon is on a journey of recovery. We have made progress, but there is still more to do. These measures will remove many of the barriers cited when fly-tipping occurs, while making clear that there is no excuse for illegally dumping waste in Croydon.”
