BROMSGROVE District Council has said community leaders must work with owners of takeaway restaurants in Rubery to minimise the ‘mess’ caused by the position of outdoor seating and litter.
It comes after Coun Peter McDonald contacted the authority after being inundated with complaints about fast food outlets which put tables and chairs out onto the streets causing obstruction and a mess.
He added: “Although some of the pavements are in the ownership of the shopkeepers, the tables and chairs are spreading out onto the public highway, leaving food waste along with litter on the pavement – n body carrying out their daily shopping should be confronted with that.”
A spokesperson at Bromsgrove District Council said: “We have advised Coun McDonald this is not a planning matter as the tables can be considered ancillary to restaurant or café use and do not require planning permission.
“Even if planning permission for outdoor seating was obtained there is a duty of care for the customers and owners to maintain cleanliness outside the planning system’s remit.
“So working with the owners to encourage more bins or discouraging customers to litter would be a practical approach for concerned community leaders to take.”
