Holiday let accommodation providers and booking agencies are being urged to do far more to ensure that waste at the end of each stay is disposed of properly and not illegally into public bins, a seaside county councillor has stated.

In his report to Saundersfoot Community Council this month, county councillor for the village’s south ward, Cllr Chris Williams raised the matter which has been blighting Pembrokeshire coastal resorts for some years now, once again.

“Over the last few months I have discussed many times the problems we are having with fly-tipping,” he stated.

“I will comment that overall there has been a remarkable improvement in the rubbish being placed into our village bins. I have regular updates from Pembrokeshire County Council and all have been positive, but unfortunately you will get a small minority who spoil it for others.”

Whilst at the crossing point of the Strand for the Long Course Weekend’s cycle ride this month, Cllr Williams explained that he ‘witnessed and challenged’ three individuals who were bringing their rubbish on the Saturday to the PCC public bins.

“All three explained that the properties they were staying in displayed information stating that rubbish can be placed into the village bins - this is totally unacceptable!” he continued.

“All three tourists were very disappointed that the properties didn’t have the correct information displayed, they also commented that all three didn’t have any way of recycling their waste. The individuals totally agreed that this process isn’t the correct procedure regarding waste disposal.

“Personally, the Welsh Government and Pembrokeshire County Council needs to tackle these issues head on, as it isn’t right for local residents in Saundersfoot and across Pembrokeshire to pick up the tab for waste of this extent.

“The holiday owners and the holiday companies have to do far more to ensure that there is a registered waste agreement for each individual property.

“I personally think that the holiday companies should be more accountable as to how their customers dispose of their waste when they book their properties. I have met with PCC on this and I’m trying to get a meeting locally with the holiday companies.

“I will say that some of the companies are doing this correctly and we also have to target the individual owners who privately let their properties expecting the cleaners to pick up rubbish and transfer this into their own house hold bins.

“This system isn’t working and this needs addressing, as this problem isn’t just in Saundersfoot, this is happening at every tourist destination in Pembrokeshire.

“We are talking again of a minority, we need to target the unscrupulous holiday home owners who are only interested in their profit margins. Every rental property should have the correct process to deal with their waste which isn’t too much to ask for, with an emphasis on recycling.

“The PCC staff who empty our bins are a credit to deal with, but they must be supported in their work and not have to do extra because of a small minority,” added Cllr Williams.