Getting our Act together
Apr 5 2008 by Ben Guy, The Journal
A COUNCIL could possibly use legal powers to crack down on untidy homeowners and landlords.
On Monday The Journal reported how a team of Mrs Mops had taken to the streets of Jesmond to persuade messy residents to get rid of the old bikes, beds and bottles cluttering up their gardens.
Coun Greg Stone also wrote to The Journal, saying that a lack of council powers meant it was difficult to clamp down on nuisance residents and landlords.
But now one eagle-eyed resident has spotted a piece of legislation that could solve the problem – at little extra cost to the council.
Tom Moore, of Clayton Road, Jesmond, found out about section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1990, while researching online after reading the story in the paper.
He said: “The law and the legislation does exist to tackle the problem.
“I have read about people living in other parts of the country who had been fined thousands of pounds under the law – the council does have the power to enforce it so we can live in a better place... And it is not going to cost the council much at all, because people like me can report it so they don’t have to employ a team of investigators.
“All they have to do is follow the complaints up.”
The power would be particularly useful in an area such as Jesmond, where many properties are rented and the upkeep of gardens can be overlooked.
Supply teacher Jen Shaw, 57, of the Jesmond Residents Association Streetwalkers became so fed up with the problem that she formed a volunteer group to tackle it.
Mrs Shaw, of Myrtle Grove, West Jesmond visits householders to encourage them to tidy up.
While it is not yet clear how easy it would be to apply the newly-discovered act, Coun Stone said it was definitely a piece of legislation that should be investigated by Newcastle City Council.
He said: “If there is a power there that can be used then they should definitely look at bringing it into place.”
A spokesman for Newcastle City Council said: “Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act does provide for the service of a notice where the council as local planning authority considers the condition of land is adversely affecting part of an area. The Notice can require steps to be taken to remedy the condition of the land.”
