Sacks of dumped ‘household rubbish’ including uneaten food are attracting vermin to one of the main gateways into Tenby, after a public bin by the seaside town’s railway station was taken away by the local authority.

Councillors in Tenby have stated that a solution to litter and waste concerns across the town needs to be addressed, ahead of another busy holiday season - but Pembrokeshire County Council’s answer to the matter at the moment seems to be removing problematic public bins that have attracted fly-tipping and unwanted waste.

A meeting of the Town Council on the matter last year after the summer heard that in some cases, where there was abuse of street litter facilities, the County Council were electing to remove problem bins, which councillors felt was not the solution.

Correspondence that is set to go before Tenby Town Council at its meeting on Tuesday (February 7) night has once again highlighted the matter, with one local resident realising whilst out walking their new pet pooch, that a bin placed at the entrance of the train station car park (on Warren Street) had now been taken away by the local authority.

“Imagine my dismay and absolute horror to find that the waste bin positioned at the entrance to the Railway Station car park has been removed? Why? Where am I supposed to drop filled doggie poop bags now?” asked the resident in their letter to town councillors.

“I understand from some of the locals and other dog walkers that the bin has been removed for some time by PCC due to people depositing household rubbish in the bin? God forbid!

“It's probably tourists and holiday makers or second home owners who don't understand the foibles of the PCC refuse collection system!

“It also appears and please be aware that despite the lack of the waste bin, plastic bags and sacks of household rubbish including uneaten food are still being left by the station entrance, despite the lack of a bin. The seagulls when they return to breed will have a whale of a time opening the bags and pulling the rubbish all over the road. What a wonderful sight for visitors coming off the train to witness?

“I’ve also been told that rats have been spotted running across the station car park, no doubt encouraged by rotting, uneaten food. In itself a health hazard.

“Can I ask, therefore, via the mechanics of a Tenby Town Council meeting, that the issue of the provision of rubbish bins not just at the station car park but across all of Tenby to be discussed and appropriate lamentations be urgently made to our masters in Haverfordwest? Tenby the ‘Jewel in the Pembrokeshire Crown?’ - I think no longer,” they added.

Indeed, the problem bin was highlighted by a local back during the summer, with the resident stating in correspondence to the Observer: “For two mornings in a row now, seagulls have ripped apart bin bags with food waste in that have been left by the side of the bin by holiday makers or possibly residents.

“Maybe it’s time to introduce fines or remove the bin?” they suggested, and it would seem that’s exactly what has been done on this occasion by PCC, with a similar scenario arising a few years ago with another ‘problem bin’ being removed from St Georges Street, that was situated in between Joys and Pipers Fish and Chips shop, near to the Five Arches.

Issues with waste and littered being scattered across the town of a morning, before waste collections are made, have blighted Tenby for years, with solutions sought to tackle the ongoing problem.

Back in October, Tenby’s Mayor and county councillor for the south ward Cllr Sam Skyrme-Blackhall even wrote to letting agencies marketing properties in the seaside town to urge them to make sure that there are proper arrangements for the collection of waste from their properties at the end of each letting period, after town councillors had once again heard reports of overflowing street bins being used for household waste and black bags being dumped near to bins.

Street litter bins are provided by Pembrokeshire County Council and town centre bins are emptied up to five times a day at the height of the holiday season. These bins are provided for the public but are not intended for domestic waste.

According to the Mayor, council staff emptying the bins had noticed more and more people bringing all their waste to the bins, with some explaining that there were no bins provided at their holiday let.

“I have been made aware of holiday properties where the welcome pack for guests specifically tells people to use street litter bins for all waste. This is not acceptable,” said the Mayor.

“Owners of properties should be planning for the disposal of waste. There are many options open to them including getting a trade waste agreement for weekly collections.”

“It is not fair on the residents of Tenby. We pay our Council tax to have our own domestic waste collected and we also pay for street waste collections.

“Why should Tenby residents subsidise holiday let owners who refuse to make proper arrangements for waste collection.

“I am sick and tired of being in town early each morning and seeing rubbish strewn across the streets because it has been left by bins or dumped. Why would you come to such a beautiful place and treat it with such little respect? It is also not fair on our hardworking staff who try so hard to keep the town tidy,” she continued.

Cllr Skyrme-Blackhall explained that it was not all holiday lets responsible, with many having arrangements in place for waste to be collected or removed by cleaning teams at the end of the week and disposed of properly.

She added: “It is now time for the letting agencies to be clear with their clients that everyone must deal with their waste.

“If they don’t do this, I will be discussing with the Local Authority to see what enforcement action can be taken.

“Tenby being beautiful helps sell their business and many are making a lot of money. All we are asking is for them to do is help keep Tenby tidy.”