Rother District Council has been attacked over its failure to maintain the area around the public 
toilets on Monks Walk in Winchelsea. Residents complain of an increasing incidence of fly-tipping and there are suggestions that a local contractor is making early morning calls to dump rubbish. The rubbish includes asbestos roofing, which has been left for several weeks.
Local conservation group Winchelsea Heritage argue that the problem is feeding upon itself. They say that experience shows neglected areas of public space are treated with less respect and attract fly-tipping and graffiti, and then criminal activity, a realisation that led to successful zero-tolerance policies in cities like New York.
According to Winchelsea Neighbourhood Watch, there have been recent reports from residents of what may be drug-dealing at the toilets in addition to the traditional problem of sexual solicitation.
Winchelsea Herit
age has written to Rother asking them to clean the site of rubbish, especially around the perimeter of the site. They also want Rother to institute regular cleaning, lock the gates that provide access to the rear of the building and work with the police to deter criminal activity.
They note that the lay-by in front of the toilets is used by parents bringing and collecting children from the nearby primary school.
Rother has also been asked to make their recycling bins look less scruffy and possibly screen them. And a call has been made for Rother to honour the pledge they made to the parish via District Councillor Osborne, and subsequently reneged upon, to provide larger waste bins.
Photos: Richard Comotto