Clash after Gainsborough area described as ‘third world country’

One councillor says it ‘demoralises’ residents, while another says it’s a realistic assessment of the challenges the area faces.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Trevor Young described the waste problems in his Gainsborough South West ward in a West Lindsey District Council meeting earlier this week.

“It’s like living in a third world country on Wednesdays and Thursday,” he told the Thriving Places Committee on Tuesday, July 14.

“It’s a very impoverished area with waste up to your knees in those ten-foot [alley] areas.”

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he wasn’t criticising residents, but highlighting what they experienced.

“At least three days a week, parts of the South West ward in Gainsborough become extremely unsightly due to large amounts of waste being left in the ten-foot areas.

“Residents regularly raise these concerns with me, and I believe it is important that we are honest about the scale of the problem rather than pretend it does not exist.

“The conditions in some of these locations are unacceptable. In my view, they resemble the neglected slum areas seen in the 1960s, and the people who live there deserve far better.

“My comments were made because I want to see meaningful improvements, not because I wish to talk the area down.”

He said that one of the top priorities for the £20million Pride in Place funding which Gainsborough has secured should be dealing with waste and recycling problems.

His comments were criticised by Coun Jeanette McGhee, who also represents the ward as an Independent.

“This kind of talk is demoralising to residents and council officers,” she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“I’m not blind to the problems and there is an issue with waste, but we won’t get anywhere by talking the area down.

“The ward is an amazing place which is going through a fantastic regeneration.

“We know people are unhappy with recycling options, and can’t don’t drive to get to the tip.

“The council’s looking at permanent measures to deal with this.

“As an interim measure, large purple bins will be placed in public areas around Gainsborough to allow residents to recycle paper and cardboard, which currently aren’t collected.”