Council Tax payers anger at dumping of non-domestic waste in Hawick

Davie Paterson says a small minority of traders are ‘riding piggy back’ at the expense of Council Tax payers in the Borders.

He has encountered incidents where rubbish, including waste from takeaways and business premises, has been dumped in or beside neighbouring domestic bins.

Mr Paterson believes it is a Borders-wide problem but is particularly aware of the issue in Hawick’s Howegate, Ramsay Road and in Buccleuch Street.

He’s urging Scottish Borders Council to address the situation to identify the small number of traders involved in the activity.

Mr Patterson said: “This is non-domestic waste that my constituents think is coming from businesses in the town. Their view is why should their Council Tax be used to subsidise local businesses when the reality of the matter is that they are supposed to be paying for the disposal of their own non-domestic waste and not riding piggy back on the hard-pressed Council Tax payer.

"I understand the council has the authority to ask businesses how they dispose of their non-domestic waste and if they currently have a contract in place with the council, or another provider. If they do not have such a contract then a conclusion can be drawn that it is being dumped in domestic bins. This waste doesn’t get there on its own. I have asked the council to take some immediate action to remedy this grossly unfair situation.”