£7m of taxpayers' cash used to keep Leicestershire's streets clean
More than £7 million of taxpayers' money was used keeping Leicestershire's streets free of filth and litter over the last year.
The huge cost of sending out street sweepers and litter pickers to clean up after litter louts and fly-tippers has been revealed by councils.
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£7m of taxpayers' cash used to keep Leicestershire's streets clean
In Leicester alone the city council spent £4.26 million on street cleaning in the financial year to March – £189,000 more than in the previous 12 months.
City council environment spokeswoman Councillor Sarah Russell described the figure as a "staggering amount".
She hoped the threat of £80 on-the-spot fines from the recently expanded team of city wardens, and educational campaigns, would eventually see the street-cleaning budget fall.
She said: "Our idea always has been to improve our enforcement work so that we can start to spend less on street cleaning in the future. The money could then be used for something else.
"We have a real challenge to change people's attitudes, getting people to accept dropping litter isn't acceptable, and make them realise that every time they do it we all have to pay to clean it up."
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council spent £732,000 last year on street cleaning, while North West Leicestershire District Council's budget was £725,000.
North-west Leicestershire's environment champion Councillor Alison Smith said: "In a time when the public sector is being asked to tighten its belts significantly, we are asking the residents of north-west Leicestershire to do their bit and get behind our campaign to keep our district clean and litter free."
Melton Borough Council spent £338,000 and Blaby District Council spent £443,000.
Oadby and Wigston Borough Council and Harborough District Council were unable to say what their budgets were, but Charnwood Borough Council put £777,131 into street cleaning.
Charnwood environment spokesman Councillor Hilary Fryer said: "It is extremely frustrating that we have to devote so much money to cleaning up after litter louts and fly-tippers."
The Campaign to Protect Rural England's Stop the Drop Campaign said UK councils spent £858 million on litter last year. Leicestershire spokesman Robert Dews said: "That money could be used to tackle the other problems councils have to deal with.
"Unfortunately too many people assume if they create a mess someone else will simply come along and clear it up."
Rama Varambhia, who runs Snutch News on the corner of Fosse Road and Upperton Road, Leicester, said there had been a problem with rubbish dumped at nearby empty flats for months.
She said: "We always ring the council to tell them when new stuff is dumped. Although they collect it they never speak to the people doing it so it keeps happening."
If you have a problem with a litter grotspot call the Leicester Mercury on 0116 2224244.
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by Albert Berer - St Peters NM, St Peters, Highfields, Leicester
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 7:04AM
“This staggering cost underscores why 3 years ago St Peters Neighbourhood Monitoring began publishing the images of those who blight environment of our neighbourhood with their trash. (http://stpetersnm.com/litter_louts.html )
Taking a look at the photographs and video of our neighbourhood in 2007 and in 2010 demonstrates why other areas should duplicate the best practice from here..
Whilst many are deterred an element will still litter and we need those in order to have faces to publish to make the majority to think twice.
Sarah Russell rightfully pointed out that the money spent picking up litter and removing flytipped waste is money that cannot be spent on other things such as essential services or other things we would like to see.
People¿s lives in this city are spent entirely surrounded by litter and that is a real tragedy. Its cost though is wider and greater than the financial cost as it sets the scene for criminal damage, anti social behaviour and crime... that is where the real cost and impact of litter is.”
by bob, leicester
Monday, July 26 2010, 6:27PM
“And i forgot to mention the wardens new per person 5000 pound raise!!! so much for the governments restrictions on local authority pay!!!”
by bob, leicester
Monday, July 26 2010, 6:24PM
“There is no income from the wardens for littering they are not being allowed to issue!! Maybe the mercury needs to ask some questions!! Also if the street cleaners split up instead of going around in 3's they might get more work done or maybe cost less because they wouldn't need as many!!!”
by Phil, Leicester
Monday, July 26 2010, 5:24PM
“Mick, the standard "lets get prisoners to do it" argument really doesn't hold water when you take into account the extra security that would be required, unless you want convicted criminals walking around your street without supervision?
The dog waste bin argument is a hobby horse of mine. I live near Braunstone Park and enjoy walking my dog there, the council installed a handful of these bins which the local kids dutifully set fire to....... Not surprisingly, they haven't been replaced!”
by Fiona, Loughborough
Monday, July 26 2010, 2:45PM
“What about our mass unemployed, surely if somebody has been out of work for a certain period of time they could be asked to 'earn' their benefit money by committing a few hours a week to the community to reduce the government spending - as many (not all) see unemployment as a long term life style.”