£.75 Million to clean Down District Streets

By Anne O'Hare

The cost of cleaning up after litter louts in the Down District costs the rate payer around three-quarters of a million pound each year.

Since the beginning of the current tax year in April, the Council have collected a phenomenal 800 tonnes of litter and the problem appears to be growing.

During the last financial year 2010/11, the council claims they gathered over 700 tonnes and alarmingly this figure does not include rubbish from weekly bin collections.

With analysis proving Fixed Penalty Notices remain an effective deterrent to would-be litter offenders, Down District can boast serving an above average number of penalty notices for dog fouling, fly tipping and dropping cigarette butts on the ground, compared to other Northern Ireland council authorities.

However, in the last six months the Council claim to have served 61 fixed penalties and the revenue accrued amounts to just £3.500, showing there is clearly a lot more work to be done on the issue.

Commenting on how three-quarters of a million pound could lessen the average rate payer’s bill, a spokesperson from the Council said: “When you consider the impact litter and associated waste has on our environment and the cost to the rate payer, it is not much to ask the public to do their bit in keeping the district clean.

“They can help by using the litter and dog fouling bins provided, or if they are not near a bin, to bring their litter home and dispose of it in their own domestic black bin.”

Down News recently reported on a drive from some local councillors to install more litter bins on our streets as it is a common belief the current number is insufficient.

SDLP Councillor Colin McGrath voiced is anger over the amount of money being spent each year on cleaning our streets.

He said: “It’s apparent we do have a growing problem both in Downpatrick and in many of the district’s towns.

“People are complaining to me on a regular basis saying their streets are not being tidied.

“We need to address the problem and ask the Council to provide more litter bins and we can also call upon them to build on the good work already being done in serving offenders with Fixed Penalty Notices.”