Streets ahead on the litter front

May 15 2009

Streets ahead on the litter front

SOUTH Ayrshire has cleaned up its act to land praise for the state of its streets.

Campaign group Keep Scotland Beautiful scored the area 73 out of a possible 100, well above the pass mark of 67.

The move has prompted a delighted response from environment spokesman Councillor Peter Convery.

He insists that the achievement is down to the dedication of hard working staff.

He said: “This considerable improvement is due to the dedicated way in which council staff carry out their duties.

“On a daily basis the staff keep our streets clean by searching out and removing litter that has been dropped by thoughtless people and makes our environment look unsightly.

“It is important that litter is kept to a minimum as it can become a health hazard to the public and a danger to wildlife when not disposed of properly.”

The news comes just weeks after local authority watchdog Audit Scotland branded South Ayrshire as one of the dirtiest councils in the country.

According to Councillor Convery the council has changed the way in which it delivers street cleaning services in recent years.

And he appealed to the public to do their bit to help continue the upward trend, adding: “The council needs the public to help keep South Ayrshire beautiful and free of litter.

“No matter how hard council staff work they cannot do it on their own.

“I would urge anyone who has ever dropped litter to change their ways and dispose of their waste responsibly by using one of the many litter bins provided across South Ayrshire.

“If you do find yourself in a place where there is no bin within the immediate vicinity, please hold on to your litter until you find one.”

CLEAN UP OPERATION: Street cleaners like Robert Simpson helped achieve success on the streets of South Ayrshire.