As some residents will have noticed, this paper bank has been full for some considerable time.

 

Cllr Alan Sherwell contacted the Council to ensure that they were aware and was told that the problem arose because on 9 July someone set fire to the paper in the bank and the fire brigade was called out.  Understandably they used water to put the fire out!

 

As a result, the paper in the bank absorbed a lot of water and, when the company that takes the banks away came to do so, they found that the weight had increased so much that they could not lift it onto their truck!  They tried again more recently in the hope that the paper had dried out but were still unable to remove it.

 

There is no simple way of getting the paper out on site but, as of 2 August, the Council are discussing possible further action with the company that owns the bank.  In the meantime, at Alan’s request, they are putting a notice on the bank saying that it is out of use and the Council organised additional litter picking patrols to deal with paper that has been left loose in the area and has been blowing around.

 

On 3 August, the Council contacted us to say that they had found a way to bring the bank back into the depot yard.  It took two men a few hours to dig out a solid mass of ash and papier-mâché like material in the bottom half and then decontaminate the interior.

 

The paper bank is now back in its usual place and the Police are investigating the arson attack

 

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