Residents told not to dump garden waste in Gobions

Groundsman's complaint leads to council action

Fresh grass cuttings in the woods within Gobions Open Space, May 2018
Image by North Mymms News released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

The parish council has written to residents whose gardens back on to Gobions Open Space asking them not to dump garden waste on council-owned property. The letters have been sent to residents in The Grove, Brookmans Park.

Discarded xmas trees in the woods within Gobions Open Space, May 2018
Image by North Mymms News released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

It follows a report to councillors from the groundsman that garden rubbish was being thrown into the field and woods from some of the gardens bordering the public area - (see aerial image from Google Maps below).

Screen grab image of Gobions Open Space, The Grove, and Jonas Way taken from Google Maps
Imagery © 2018 Google, Map Data © 2018 Google - used according to Google's fair use policy

The issue was raised at the North Mymms Parish Council’s Amenities Committee meeting in December last year and again in February this year as item 59 on the agenda (screen grab of item below).

But three months after it was decided to send the letters there is still evidence of recent tipping, as well as piles of decaying garden waste which has clearly been there for some time. Someone had even decided to make a proper job of their compost heap, so perhaps not all the letters got through.

A well cared for compost heap in the woods within Gobions Open Space, May 2018
Image by North Mymms News released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

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All images by North Mymms News and released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0.



North Mymms News has approached North Mymms Parish Council for a comment and asked four questions.

• What is going to happen to the piles of old garden waste on council-owned land?
• What is the next step if people continue to ignore the request?
• Will there be another mail shot in case the letters sent earlier were not received or read?
• Is there a penalty for dumping garden waste on council-owned property?

The council's response will be published here once a reply is received.

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