A HEXHAM resident has dismissed council claims about the cleaning regime at a busy recycling facility.

James Milligan, who lives near the bottle banks and recycling area in the corner of the town’s Wentworth car park, said he had been raising concerns about the “disgusting” corner of the car park for the last two years.

“There is usually smashed glass everywhere,” he said. “It’s all over the parking bays where people park their cars, and where dogs walk.

“There’s often piles of rubbish. It’s disgusting. But the response from the council every time basically says they do clean up, and they will clean up and then they do nothing.”

Mr Milligan believed notices relating to events which took place four or five months ago could be found among piles of discarded items, leaving him to question the council’s claims about a daily cleaning regime.

“I know its only a small part of one town in the UK, but if a handful of people from every town can shame council area managers into cleaning up or find out why they are not, then maybe we can make a difference,” he said.

A county council spokesman said keeping the county clean and tidy was a priority and insisted the area was cleaned daily.

“This is the most-well used recycling facility in the west of the county and we must balance the views of anyone raising concerns over the siting of these banks with the benefits it provides for thousands of others,” he added.

“Having had concerns raised this week we have agreed to increase spot checks by one of the council’s recycling officers. This will ensure if any issues are identified, further cleaning can quickly take place.”