A NORTHWICH councillor has launched a New Year plea for low level nuisance issues including fly tipping to be given a higher priority.

It follows a complaint by a Northwich resident, who is fed up with some residents mindlessly dumping everything from a mattress to bags of refuse at the rear of properties in an alleyway between David Street and Beeston Street.

Resident Aaron Bennett, 34, who lives in one of the properties, said he is fed up with some residents using the alley as a dumping ground for whatever they choose to get rid of.

He said: “This has been going on for months and despite reporting it to Cheshire West and Chester Council’s environmental health almost two months ago nothing has been done to sort it out.

“The current state of the alleyway is that it’s an absolute tip with cardboard boxes, tyres and even a mattress which was thrown over a neighbouring house’s wall. Bags are ripped out and the contents are blown all over the place.

“Because of its condition it has virtually become a no go zone for children wanting to play there.”

Cllr Sam Naylor said: “Many of the alleyways in the Castle area suffer from this problem, which is largely caused by people renting properties for a short time but who have no sense of community.

“Most people living there, including some of those who rent, take care of their property and the same with their gardens but they are interspersed with people who stay a short amount of time and their behaviour is awful.”

Cllr Naylor said he would be contacting the authority’s environmental health department.

He said: “These issues are important for people on the ground. This type of behaviour is one of the things that blights modern society and as a councillor it’s this low level type of incident, including potholes and vandalism, that make up most of the complaints I get from ward residents and one which definitely needs to be given a much higher priority by all concerned.”

“I will be taking up this issue with environmental health to see what can be done to clean the mess up.”