Cleaned out

By Bridget Cook
WASTE management and council workers moved in to clean up a Hampton Park property on Friday, for the second time in as many weeks.
However, this time heavy machinery including bobcats, excavators and street sweepers were used to clean up the mess at the house on the corner of Willow Drive and Hallam Road, Hampton Park, after the owner of the property failed to clean up his act.
For the first time, workers were allowed to go into the property and clean up the front and rear yards, and driveway.
The resident pleaded guilty at the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court in July to charges relating to inhabiting an unsightly property, wilful damage and traffic offences.
As the resident did not comply with the order to clean up, council officers instigated a process to remove all the offending items from the property in accordance with the court order.
The property was taken to landfill and the resident will be charged for the clean-up.
City of Casey Director Community Development Sophia Petrov said the council could undertake a clean-up of a property where materials or goods were on council nature strips or the owner’s property, and were likely to cause a risk or deemed unsightly.
“The council can enter and remove the risk,” she said.
River Gum Ward’s Councillor Wayne Smith, who attended the clean-up on Friday, said the problem had been an ongoing battle between the council and the resident.
“Everyone is very supportive of what the council is doing,” Cr Smith said.
“Most of the neighbours are just fed up. “They all say he is a nice enough guy, but they have had enough of the rats, and the mess and the smell coming from the property.”