22 people fined for dropping litter half-way through month-long campaign

Neighbourhood wardens have been patrolling Sandlands Way retail park and issuing £75 fixed penalty notices to people seen dropping litter- including cigarette ends and food- as part of the drive by Mansfield District Council.

Another major part of the campaign has been to encourage businesses at the retail park to increase their own litter picking operations, and to make and display a tidy business pledge to:

• Dispose of their waste appropriately

• Keep their business premises clean and litter free

• Support the council to enforce penalties against litter droppers

• Be part of a community clean-up

• Work in partnership with Mansfield District Council.

Schools and community groups have also been encouraged to support the campaign and among the groups to get involved has been the 1st Forest Town Scouts which carried out a litter pick in the Forest Town area.

As well as issuing fines to litter droppers, neighbourhood wardens have also been keeping their eyes peeled to “shop a dropper” if litter is seen being thrown from cars.

In these instances registration plate details of those cars are taken and sent to the DVLA so that contact can be made with the car owner to investigate the matter further.

The Tidy Together campaign in Forest Town started on January 25 and was sparked by an increase in complaints about rubbish being dropped by customers of takeaways and shops at the Sandlands Way retail park.

These complaints led to the council increasing the frequency of street cleaning, but tackling some of the areas around the retail park safely involves using temporary traffic lights, which is costly, so the council is hoping the anti-litter campaign will help to deliver a more long-term and cost-effective solution.

If the campaign is a success, the council may roll the same ideas out to other areas of the district with similar issues.

Deputy Mayor Cllr Mick Barton, who has been instrumental in driving the campaign, said: “We want Forest Town to be a clean and tidy neighbourhood which everyone can be proud of.

“This campaign has been very effective so far and it is sending out a clear message that dropping litter is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.

“Our message is simple: bin your rubbish every time - because if you don’t we will find you and we will fine you. I would like to thank our neighbourhood wardens for the great work they are doing in their dedicated pursuit of those who fail to use the litter bins that are provided in the area.

“Businesses also have their part to play in this by making sure their own waste disposal and litter picking operations are effective.”