A CONTRACTOR will clear up concrete which has been flytipped in a woodland beauty spot but denies its workmen were responsible.

R J Dance, which does highway maintenance for Brighton and Hove City Council, has been accused by walkers of piling remnants of old concrete bollards in the middle of pathways.

Suzie Brockbank, secretary of Friends of Woodbourne Meadows, said she saw workmen and vans with R J Dance livery working on the site near Hollingbury Golf Course on Friday, March 23.

She said: “We noticed workmen replacing the bollards. The old concrete was just piled up at the side of the road.

“Later that day I got a text from my friend to say they had moved the concrete and just piled it up all down the embankment and on the path.

“I spoke to a workman the following morning and he said to me ‘do you expect me to move it?’

“It’s clearly their stuff.”

Suzie, 54, said a complaint was made to the council that day – 12 days ago.

Patcham ward councillor and Conservative environment spokesman Councillor Lee Wares said “It is outrageous that a council contractor should engage in wilful flytipping and acts of environmental vandalism.

“There must be a raft of contract breaches and environmental laws that need to be fully investigated and prosecutions brought where necessary.

“Why was it that when this was brought to the early attention of the council they did nothing?

“Questions need answering.”

The Friends’ group spokesman said “We are lucky to have such a beautiful and bountiful site right on our doorstep where we recently planted over 300 trees donated by the Woodland Trust.

“Woodbourne Meadow is not a dumping ground, it is a bio-diverse haven on the border of the Downs and we will defend it.”

A council spokesman said the contractor was confident his workmen were not responsible. Nonetheless R J Dance will remove concrete footing blocks from site as a gesture of goodwill.