Council spends £2.2 million to clean up streets

DID you know it costs £2.2 million a year to keep Carmarthenshire clean?

The council is responsible for removing litter and dog mess from pavements, streets and council owned public land – but it doesn’t come cheap.

The Street Scene division has a cleansing staff of approximately 60, along with a number of mechanical sweeping machines and on average 40 tonnes of litter is removed every week at a cost of over £2.2 million per year.

An extensive education and awareness campaign is also underway to encourage people to behave responsibly together with enforcement action.

Council Leader Kevin Madge said: “It costs a lot of money to keep Carmarthenshire clean, but it is very important, for both our own residents as well as the thousands of visitors we get every year.

“The council is determined to improve the quality of the local environment and by working with partners such as Keep Wales Tidy and Fly-tipping Action Wales we can provide a clean and safe place to live.”

Environmental enforcement officers carry out patrols throughout Carmarthenshire and issue fixed penalty notices for £75 to anyone caught dropping litter or failing to clean up after their dog.

Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Tackling dog fouling and litter is a major priority for the council.

“We will not hesitate to fine people who litter our streets or fail to clean up after their dogs. Dog fouling in particular is one of the most common causes of complaint we get from members of the public, so we are responding to local concerns.”

Executive Board Member for Street Scene Cllr Colin Evans paid tribute to staff for all their hard work.

“Our staff do a fantastic job all year round and are out in all types of weather conditions,” he said.

“The work being carried out by the cleansing staff, our enforcement officers as well as all the education and awareness activity is making a big difference.”