A Tenby councillor has once again hit out at holiday let owners and accommodation provider that are instructing visitors to use council street litter bins to dispose of their waste at the end of their stay in the seaside town.

Discussing the topic of public bins being overrun at times due to abuse, Cllr Laurence Blackhall told his fellow members at the recent meeting of Tenby Town Council that the matter continues to be an ongoing challenge.

“There are known causes and where there are, it is important that Pembrokeshire County Council assist in challenging those,” he stated.

“We have accommodation that is lived in all year round which is granted access to Council waste services and we have properties that pay a surcharge premium for use as a second home.

“However, it is known there are those that do not pay Council Tax and are registered for business rates. They are required to make trade arrangements for disposal of their waste.

“It is good that PCC check all evidence as to how people are getting rid of waste, but it does not include holiday lets that are instructing their visitors to use Council street litter bins,” he continued, proposing that PCC write to letting agencies making clear to owners as to what they need to do and ask that the letting agencies be partners in resolving the problems.

“Businesses of any type need to have a trade waste agreement in place or arrangements should be undertaken via registered collectors,

“Street litter bins should not be used for rubbish that comes out of the house. This needs to be explained clearly on the bins to act as some form of deterrent.

“PCC do a fantastic job clearing up our streets but their task is made much harder by street litter bins being stuffed with domestic rubbish which is actually illegal.

“We need to get that message across,” he added.

Cllr. Dr Tara Carmody felt that PCC needed a strategy to address other narratives around waste management.

“Pembrokeshire is the flagship in terms of recycling. My concern regarding holiday let waste is that it is generally unsorted. General waste and recyclables are mixed without thought to the environment and the potential impact on attracting vermin – both four legged and flying,” she stated.

Cllr Sam Skyrme-Blackhall told her colleagues that this was not just a problem affecting the town centre, but one for the whole of the town.

“I work closely with the PCC refuse team and the amount of rubbish being out on a Monday morning is exceptional already and we are no-where near the main season,” she remarked.

Subsequently, in a bid to help stop gulls attacking black bags and spreading rubbish around the streets, the Town Council is offering residents the opportunity to purchase ‘seagull proof’ bags at a greatly subsidised rate up until July 18 from the TCC offices.

Tenby residents can, on proof that they are a Tenby Council Tax payer, purchase a bag for just £2 (the normal price being £8).