YEOVIL NEWS: Cracking down on town centre litter louts

A BID to crackdown on litter louts in Yeovil town centre has been launched by South Somerset District and the police.

A lot of hard work goes in to making sure that towns and villages across South Somerset are kept clean and tidy.

A council spokesman said: “In an effort to improve and enhance street cleaning performance in Yeovil, SSDC’s Streetscene services have purchased three new vacuum litter collecting wheelie bins and one backpack collector. Officers are confident they will aid in reducing the issue of cigarette ends and broken glass on the streets.

“Officers from environmental health will also be patrolling and challenging anyone seen dropping litter. Dropping litter on the streets or in a public space is an offence under the Environmental protection Act 1990, and officers have the power to issue a fixed penalty notices of £80 to anyone found flouting these laws.

“Littering can include dropping crisp packets, cigarette ends and even chewing gum onto the streets.”

The spokesman added: “Whilst the majority of people will dispose of their litter, those who do not and carelessly drop it in the street cause not only an eyesore, but social and environmental damage too.

“Much of what is dropped is not biodegradable and can block drains, cause problems for wildlife and will blow around until picked up by someone else, often at considerable expense. Accumulations of litter can encourage scavenging birds and other vermin, all of which are unwanted.”

A police spokesman said: “We fully support environmental health in this action and will be present with them when requested. This action shows the Yeovil One group are working hard to make Yeovil a nicer place to live, visit and work.”

The council’s environmental health spokesman, Cllr Carol Goodall, added: “There is no need to drop litter; it’s unacceptable and something that the vast majority of people find offensive.

“It is unsightly and is associated with crime and anti-social behaviour and can lead to areas being perceived as neglected which can discourage people from visiting the area. There are plenty of bins to dispose of litter, or it can be taken home. We hope people will take this message on board but we are prepared to use our powers where needed.”

If you wish to report an incident of littering to the district council, you can do so online at www.southsomerset.gov.uk/online or call 01935-462462.

PHOTOS: Generic pictures of litter on streets.

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