‘Let’s clean up our town together’

The proactive group are yet to decide what that level of support will be but are determined to make a difference to the town

“We don’t know exactly how at this stage but we will support the initiative,” said chairman Ken Robinson at a meeting of the group this week.

Coun John Wilmott (Lab), a member of Ashfield District and Nottinghamshire County Councils, stressed a need to ‘educate’ the public not to drop litter.

He told the meeting that an experiment in Hucknall town centre had served to highlight the problem.

“For three days, we cleaned one half of High Street and left the other half as it was.” said Coun Wilmott. “At the end of this time, I could not believe how much litter had accumulated on the half we did not clean.”

Coun Wilmott said he had attended a ceremony in London on behalf of Ashfield Council.

This was to receive the first prize which Ashfield had won as the country’s most improved council in picking up litter and keeping the environment clean.

But Coun Wilmott said he was shocked to hear at the event that a staggering £1 billion was spent on clearing litter in Britain.

Coun Wilmott said Ashfield Council were trying to get an organisation in each area to promote tidiness.

A good example was a voluntary project to clear litter from Hucknall bypass last weekend which involved councillors and the community working together.

“We had a great turnout of residents - which was very much appreciated,” said Coun Chris Baron. We cut back trees and shrubbery from around 400 metres of the bypass, as well as litter pick - there’s still more to do, and we will hold another session in the New Year.”

this time on a Saturday.