Stafford - Drowning under a sea of litter

I walked through Victoria Park last Friday on my way to the train station and i was appalled by how dirty it was especially in the vicinity of the band stand. It took me a good ten minutes to clear the area of beer cans, fag packets and take away litter.

I believe the only way to deal with these dirty individuals is to fine them and hit them where it hurts. If they cant afford to pay, they should be forced to give up some of the time to help street scene etc so they can see first hand the effects of litter and graffiti and the amount of time and effort wasted as a result.

However, i dont believe we can fully rely on the local authority to police this or maintain our streets. In these times of austerity where resources are limited I would rather see Streetscene concentrating there efforts on keeping the town centre clean and the main arterial routes into the town and encourage residents to monitor there own streets or areas. I along with a number of volunteers have been doing this within the Siemens colony area of Forebridge and we are seeing some positive results as a consequence. Ideally I would like to extend this scheme to all areas of Forebridge and neighbouring wards and would encourage fellow forumites to try and setup similar schemes within there areas if they havent all ready done so. I read last week in the Newsletter that a similar scheme in Wildwood has achieved some very positive results.

The Borough coucil and keep Britain tidy will provide you with litter picks, tabards and bags if requested.

Lets all make a positive stand and keep Stafford tidy

Litter/now graffiti thread,
I''m intrigued, what is it you'd like the people of Stafford to do to combat this?

Thankyou Franklin, I may take you up on that offer and please feel free to invite me to any litter picks that are arranged in Littleworth.

In response to 1JKz - What I and others are proposing is nothing to onerous. We are merely inviting likeminded individuals, who care about the community in which they live and therefore want to keep it clean to litter pick when they are able to do so. In Forebridge, the members of the group take responsibilty of there streets or section of street and litter pick as and when they can. This is normally twice a week. A few of us who are more mobile and have more time to spare look after slightly larger areas. Again this is not a rigid arrangement, we merely take a carrier bag with us when we walk through the streets of Forebridge to the town centre. This only adds a few minutes extra to our journey and improves the area. Through this regular litter picking we are seeing a noticable difference and the number of volunteers are increasing.

In fact today I have recieved an email from Anita Hobbs a borough councillor for the neighbouring ward of Rowley about introducing a similar scheme there...... so who knows Franklin maybe one day we will get a spotless Stafford.

I agree with everything Franklin has said above which is why i implemented this scheme in my local area.

ben0239 said:

Hi,

For the past few months, myself and a number of other residents in Forebridge have started doing weekly litter picks, because like many of you we dont want to live in a dirty neighbourhood just because there are some inconsiderate individuals who thinks its okay to drop litter. From our experience so far, we have found that the people who are dropping the litter are the individuals that are walking from Exeter Street over the Crinoline or people walking back from the KFC.
Since starting our weekly litter picks we have noted, that generally the amount of litter is dropping and less individuals seem to be dropping litter within the area. Therefore we are keen to extend this community led litter pick by finding more individuals within Forebridge who would be willing to join our quest for cleaner streets.
If any forumites live within Forebridge and are willing to spare ten minutes of the time per week it would be great to hear from you. Thanks in advance.

.

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I'm embarrassed to say I missed this post when it was originally posted, it's an excellent idea.

Hi,
This is a quick update regarding the Adopt an Area scheme we have implemented in the Forebridge Ward. We now have 11 volunteers who are now actively conducting litter picks within the area. On the whole we are finding that as a result the amount of litter being dropped is generally decreasing. It is for that reason that I am keen to encourage other forumites to take up the challenge and ADOPT AN AREA. The size of the area can be as little or as large as you feel you can manage or want to take on and there is no regimented litter picks. It is simply a case of when you have a few minutes in the week, you spend a little bit of time picking up litter within your adopted area. I have litter pickers and bags which i can supply.

With regard to the Forebridge ward, we have made a number of positive steps in the last few months regarding some of the problem areas within the ward.

Crinoline Bridge - I have had a site visit with a Network Rail representative who has taken pictures of the graffiti and the rubbish on the embankments and instructed an OFF TRACK team to clean the area. This should happen in the next few months, I will ofcourse keep you informed. The graffiti on the bridge will be cleaned off and an oil based solution is to be added, this will not prevent the graffiti being sprayed but it will aid the cleaning process.

KFC - KFC is currently my nemesis with a large proportion of the litter collected within Forebridge coming from this establishment. On a national level KFC rubbish accounts for 8% of rubbish collected in towns and cities. I have contacted KFC on three occasions to make complaints and insist that there staff partake in the 100 yards litter pick that they promised they would do. In the long term it is my aim to try and work with KFC to try and find some solutions to the problem of litter.

TESCO - For those of you that walk along the Newport Road or into Tesco's via the main entrance, you would of noticed that there is a large amount of litter within the landscaped area to the front of the store. I have reported this matter directly to TESCO head office, who contacted me today to inform me that litter picking of this area and the car park should be conducted by TESCO on a regular basis and therefore they are going to contact the Store Manager directly to find out why this has not happened.

For all those residents within Forebridge who have contacted me and Adopted an Area, via the forum or via my email address, thank you very much, your efforts are very much appreciated and you are making a positive contribution to the local environment.

I am conscious of the fact that this is turning into a large post, so i will just make one final point. I have recently been in contact with one of the founding members of KEEP STONE TIDY who has provided me with all the necessary files and documents etc required to set up a KEEP STAFFORD TIDY website. However I do not have the necessary skills to setup such a website and therefore I am appealing to fellow Forumites who maybe able to help me or who would themselves be willing to run the website and showcase the good work being done by Stafford residents. It would be my aim (if allowed) to somehow link this website to Stafford Forum and StreetScene so forumites are able to see the progress being made and comment on any litter problem araes. Incorporated in this I would like a MAP showing all the streets which have become adopted by residents. However I have no idea how to do this.

Thankyou all for your time.

Ben

Franklin_Delano_Roosevelt said:

Ben, to be honest I haven't to date "arranged" litter picks as I'm not totally sure how I would go about it, I guess using forums and the internet to connect with likeminded people is a good starting point! I have no "proper" litterpicking gear, do you have that to borrow as part of your team? As I say, happy to muck in and get involved.

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Hi Franklin

I have a number of litter pickers which I am able to supply to you. Please PM me your address and I will drop some off to you.

Ben

I have been given a contact by the name of Graham Sellman, who is apparently a Big Anti litter campaigner. I seem to have a vague memory of reading his name on this forum before. Can anyone tell me if he is a member or could someone please pm me his contact details.

Thanks in advance.

ben0239 said:

I have been given a contact by the name of Graham Sellman, who is apparently a Big Anti litter campaigner. I seem to have a vague memory of reading his name on this forum before. Can anyone tell me if he is a member or could someone please pm me his contact details.

Thanks in advance.

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You will, probably, have seen his name, several times, in the Newsletter* over the years. He is often to be seen riding his bike along the cycle-path from Baswich to Fairway with bags of litter hanging from the handlebars.

I believe that he may live in Braunton Avenue...


*Example - http://www.staffordshirenewsletter.co.uk/News/Litter-strewn-town-is-not-a-fair-picture.htm

ben0239 said:

In the long term it is my aim to try and work with KFC to try and find some solutions to the problem of litter.

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Dip it in the Colonel's special blend of herbs 'n' spices, bung it in a deep fat fryer and feed it back to the clientele?

Would probably be as finger lickin' good as the rest of the crap they sell, creating a closed loop of horrendousness that could eliminate the problem for ever and create substantial savings for the company. Win win?

Are there any members of the forum who feel passionate about the area in which they live to want to keep it tidy. If you do please ADOPT AN AREA, this can be as little or as large an area as you feel you can manage or want to take on. If you require any litter picking equipment I can provide this to you.

..... so come on, together lets make Stafford cleaner and a nicer place to live.

ben0239 said:

Are there any members of the forum who feel passionate about the area in which they live to want to keep it tidy. If you do please ADOPT AN AREA, this can be as little or as large an area as you feel you can manage or want to take on. If you require any litter picking equipment I can provide this to you.

..... so come on, together lets make Stafford cleaner and a nicer place to live.

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I think this is a great thing you are trying to do here, litter around stafford drives me nuts, We have a problem where we live on a school run and it passes tesco, every weekend beer cans sweets and sandwich packaging strewn along the street and in our garden! However I tried to take action and rang and emailed the council, requesting litter bins and street scene do their bit, a month later I received a reply by email and was informed they couldn't put bins down the road because the residents would complain, they'd tried it in the past and noone wanted a bin outside their homes! For about a month street scene did show their face, but they have never been seen since and the litter continues to grow and every weekend I go out and are still picking up litter.

I used to clear up the alley way near to us (especially when I had a dog ,to save the bottles getting smashed and her having glass in her feet),but no longer do it as the people in 3 of the houses next to it are the ones emptying car ashtrays onto it, and throwing their bottles and cans , takeaway cartons etc over into it.

After cleaning it up one morning ,I was walking son to school and this kid in front just threw half his lunchbox onto the floor. I asked him to pick it up, got a mouthful of abuse and then for ages afterwards my son was bullied by him and his mates. I tend not to say anything now when someone in front drops litter ,fearing the consequences.

I was amazed the other day when I was getting into my car in Wildwood Co-op carpark. A woman got out of her car by the overflowing recycling bins,never even tried to squash it into the bins but just threw loads of stuff at least 4 feet away from the bins! She could see me watching but carried on regardless. It was the one time I had forgotten my mobile and despite making a mental note of her reg no I had forgotton it by the time I reached home.

Floss67 said:

I think this is a great thing you are trying to do here, litter around stafford drives me nuts, We have a problem where we live on a school run and it passes tesco, every weekend beer cans sweets and sandwich packaging strewn along the street and in our garden! However I tried to take action and rang and emailed the council, requesting litter bins and street scene do their bit, a month later I received a reply by email and was informed they couldn't put bins down the road because the residents would complain, they'd tried it in the past and noone wanted a bin outside their homes! For about a month street scene did show their face, but they have never been seen since and the litter continues to grow and every weekend I go out and are still picking up litter.

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Hi Floss, we had a similar issue in the Siemens colony, I contacted Streetscene on a number of occasions but they used the same arguments regarding additional bins as they gave to you. Which is why I decided to take matters into my own hands. From the experience we are having in Forebridge we have found that by conducting regular litter picks, people are now actually thinking twice before dropping litter and using the existing bins provided by the council. If you would like some help tidying your street or would like a litter picker please feel free to drop me a pm and i will be happy to help and keep up the good work.

staffordjas said:

I used to clear up the alley way near to us (especially when I had a dog ,to save the bottles getting smashed and her having glass in her feet),but no longer do it as the people in 3 of the houses next to it are the ones emptying car ashtrays onto it, and throwing their bottles and cans , takeaway cartons etc over into it.

After cleaning it up one morning ,I was walking son to school and this kid in front just threw half his lunchbox onto the floor. I asked him to pick it up, got a mouthful of abuse and then for ages afterwards my son was bullied by him and his mates. I tend not to say anything now when someone in front drops litter ,fearing the consequences.

I was amazed the other day when I was getting into my car in Wildwood Co-op carpark. A woman got out of her car by the overflowing recycling bins,never even tried to squash it into the bins but just threw loads of stuff at least 4 feet away from the bins! She could see me watching but carried on regardless. It was the one time I had forgotten my mobile and despite making a mental note of her reg no I had forgotton it by the time I reached home.

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Hi Staffordjas, I do sympathise with you. It is disheartening when you try to keep an area clean for some mindless people to mess it up again. Have you tried contacting Street scene or an enforcement officer at the BC to see if there is something they can do about the residents that live adjacent to the alley way? If you would like me to take this matter up for you I would be happy to do so, if you fear recrimination.

It does drive me mad when I see people, like you have mentioned, have so little regard for the environment. For the life of me I can not understand the logic of these people. Clearly the only way these people will learn is through enforcement and fixed penaltys etc as thay have no social consequence.

Franklin_Delano_Roosevelt said:

Perhaps a big collection and then a pile up for a day or so in the Market Square right outside the lovely Shirehall...? In this Country we concentrate far too much on "out of sight, out of mind" waste management - let people look at, walk around and shop amongst all the rubbish for a bit - that should get people rightly vexed about what is all to often an ignored issue

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Has that not been done once? I did discuss this with a Street Scene operative....