Councillor Adam Harrison

CAMDEN’S environment chief is frustrated with people who leave donations for charity shops in the street, writes Richard Osley.

New year clearouts and unwanted Christmas gifts usually see a January surge in people handing over bags of potential stock.

But Labour councillor Adam Harrison has urged residents to only do this when the shops are open.

He told an environment scrutiny committee just before Christmas: “It’s unbelievable that people think they can just leave it outside charity shop. They think they are doing something good. Just go when it’s open.”

The issue was raised by West Hampstead councillor Sharon Hardwick, who said bags dumped outside a locked front door were causing a mess in West End Lane.

“We’ve had posters and we probably need refresher posters,” she said.

“There are lots of people donating bags of donations to charity shops – and we’ve got a number of charity shops on West End Lane. Unfortunately, they donate while the shops are shut.

“All sorts of people – I thought of the street population but all sorts of people – dig through the bags and take the bags with stuff they need and just leave stuff dumped on the pavement, which I then report the next morning.”

Cllr Hardwick added: “Obviously the charity isn’t getting the donation because it’s a fly tip.”

West End Lane has six charity shops, including four almost in a row at one section of the street.

Cllr Hardwick has also suggested a “community skip” in the West Hampstead area for people to throw away large items of rubbish, suggesting a spot on Fortune Green or a temporary road closure near West End Green.