Litter

AccyJay · 25-09-2006, 16:00

I just came across this story about people being fined for dropping their cigarette butts in the street. I totally agree with this, but, the council should provided more bins for the butts to be placed in. The council are collecting funds, but i doubt that there will be any significant changes to the amount of bins in place or for that fact, the amount of cleaners employed.

The article is about Blackburn Council, but no doubt HBC will implement the same policy soon. Most of those charged were drivers, discarding their "litter" out of the window. Whilst reading the article, i was quite disturbed to realise that the onus is on the individual to prove that they were innocent of any wrongdoing, rather than the council to prove that they were guilty.

I thought that we lived in a democratic country, where it is innocent until proven guilty.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/display.var.937387.0.kick_in_the_butt.php

Ianto.W. · 25-09-2006, 19:55

The council don't drop the fag end's, the inconsiderate street smoker does thank the lord they can look forward to a painfull demise.

SPUGGIE J · 25-09-2006, 20:05

People are using the tops of the bins that have a mtal plate but just leave them. They do not put them in the bin when they are completely out they just leave them for the wind. There are more fag buts in the town centre here through that than people dropping them on the deck.

AccyJay · 26-09-2006, 10:35

At least you have those types of bins. I totally agree with fining those resonsible for discarding the waste in the street. What i don't agree with, is the policy of guilty until proved innocent.

poppy · 26-09-2006, 12:41

If smokers are scared of being fined they may flick the fag end somewhere else than on the street where it is dirty but reasonable safe. Throwing them in bins or anwyhere else could start a fire.

I agree they should be made to put them out and somewhere safe. but you have to give them that place before they can use it.

Less · 27-09-2006, 08:31

O.K. littering is littering, whether it's a fag end or the wrapper off a piece of chewing gum and should be disposed of correctly.

Where I think the councils have missed out is that they have employed people to just walk around the town issue-ing on the spot fines, perhaps the litter police would create a better image for themselves if they pushed a barrow, with a brush & shovel in it, so that, when they aren't fining people they could take positive action and actually help keep the place tidy.
Or maybe just get rid of these extra people and authorise the real street cleaners to enforce the fines, after all it must be frustrating to be trying to keep a place clean just to have some ignorant so and so drop his chip paper in full view and where you have just swept!

AccyJay · 27-09-2006, 11:13

It would be interesting to know how much the "Litter Police" are paid in comparison with the street cleaners.

Less · 27-09-2006, 12:21

This is straight off Hyndburn Councils web site:-

Quote:

Did you know?

That the cost of cleaning up after Hyndburn residents works out at approximately 40p per household per week. On average, each of the 11 hand sweepers collects enough litter and rubbish to fill 10 refuse sacks every day. Each month, the mechanical sweepers pick up about 100 tonnes of litter and rubbish from the streets and footpaths in Hyndburn.

The rest of the article can be found here

AccyJay · 27-09-2006, 12:44

Nice article Less, a lovely little spin. Are we to assume then, that if nobody drops any litter & no litter blows from the bins, that there would be no need for the people employed as sweepers? Would the Council still keep the litter police? My guess is that the people that are employed to enforce the litter fines would be kept, & the sweepers would be made redundant.

Quote:

The Council currently has 11 hand sweepers deployed in various townships around the Borough. These members of staff work to set routes over a weekly or fortnightly cycle and cover the following areas:-
· Accrington town centre
· Accrington outer town centre
· Clayton Le Moors
· Church
· Great Harwood
· Oswaldtwistle
· Rishton
The hand sweepers work from 7.30am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday and 7.15am to 11.45pm (i think this should read "AM") every Saturday morning.

This probably the reason why the bus station is always full of litter on a Saturday afternoon. Most of which blows along Church Street in the evening.

Less · 27-09-2006, 15:53

Perhaps if the 'Litter Police', did have brush and shovel, they could give the offender the choice, pay the fine or clean this stretch of gutter that you have desecrated.

No that wouldn't work, before they could use the brush and shovel, The Councils Health and Safety official would have to assess the stretch of the road and take them round to the council depot to kit them out with all the safety equipment required, safety boots, hi-vis' jacket, gloves etc and they would also have to go on an induction course to ensure they lifted the shovel correctly!

No Less this is not the sweeper you will use!

This is what you'll use!

Less kitted out and ready to work off his fine!

WillowTheWhisp · 27-09-2006, 15:59

Only 11 sweepers for the whole of Hyndburn?

I know places where every part is swept on a DAILY basis - and that actually seems to encourage people to be responsible and put their rubbish in bins.

silvermain · 27-09-2006, 16:50

Only a couple of months ago my mother recieved a letter from the Council saying that she had been seen driving along Burnly Rd and a Council worker had seen her throw a cig butt out of the passenger window. Towards the end it said something along the lines of pay £50 and the matter is done. Or we could take it to court. So thinking the same as jay that we are innocent till proven guilty i phoned up the number supplied and stated that i was not just being a cock and just said that are you not supposed to prove it? And the reply i got was... the court always believes us so you wont win sorry. Couldn't believe it.

AccyJay · 27-09-2006, 17:37

This is the point i was making in the first place. What is there is stop ANY council worker from reporting somebody, guilty or not? I'm guessing that the Council worker would get a reward of some description for informing their superiors. Are they just taken on their word? Or do they have to provide proof to the employer? If they had to provide proof, then, this would mean that every council operative would have to have a camera in his/her hand every second of the day.