Community looks like a war zone, says resident (From Daily Echo)
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Community looks like a war zone, says resident
9:07am Wednesday 2nd July 2008 in News
UNWANTED clothes, TVs, videos, stereos and abandoned personal documents lay strewn across the streets.
These are the images that have left residents living in a popular student area comparing their neighbourhood to a war zone.
Watch the video of the scavengers going through the students' rubbish - click here
The latest round of the student housing merry-go-round has seen even more personal belongings dumped outside homes in the Polygon area of Southampton.
It is an increasing headache for residents, and the council that has to clear up the resulting mess.
Now the long-standing problem is being made worse still by scavengers hunting through the items looking for goods to use or sell.
Pat Othen has lived in the area for 25 years, but was horrified at the sights she has seen this week.
"It's just so irresponsible, and it's heartbreaking for me to watch what's happening and see it like this," said the 58-year-old, a member of the local Residents Action Team.
"I've never seen anything like it in my life - it looks more like a war zone.
"I'm not a student- hater, I mix very well with the young people around here. I'm just someone trying to help solve the problem."
She believes many of the things being thrown away could instead be donated to charities to be used or sold.
"There's something wrong because these students just don't seem to know the value of things," she said.
"Because they don't pay for it themselves out of their own pockets, they don't know the value of anything.
"People have been out rifling through the bins looking for stuff they can use. I don't blame them, because it's all working stuff.
"But it's the mess the scroungers leave. They've been round three times in less than a week.
"The council has to send one truck round to go all along the road picking up stuff from the pavement and clearing bags that are spilling out of the bins, and we've then got the street cleaners.
"That's all before the bin men even come along to clear the bins."
Pat has taken her video camera out on to the streets nearby to document the extent of the problem, even finding people rifling through bins and rubbish bags in broad daylight.
As well as a working TV with remote control, she says she has seen a video camera, musical equipment, expensive art materials, clothing and jewellery all dumped.
One file even included a student's pay slips and tax details, driving licence, phone bills and personal letters.
Pat believes more must be done to force students to dispose of their unwanted belongings responsibly.
But a Southampton Solent University spokeswoman said the university and students' union had been working with local agencies to promote sensible action.
"In May, city council leaflets were distributed to the student community advising students on the various ways to dispose of their waste," she said.
"Contact details were given for the Rubbish Revived' site, local charity SCRATCH and Actionline. In addition, free recycling sacks were available from the university during May and June."
