‘It is sad these purges are needed. But littering is a reality’

Hats off and thank you to everyone who gave up their time to take part in the Great British Spring Clean (Cleaner Future In Store For City, Gazette, March 9).

It is heartening to know so many people take real pride in the place where they live. We know we have to do our bit too so as well as helping to supply some of the kit used in their litter picks, our litter liaison councillors are working hard with the community to identify grot spots so action can be taken.

We are also recruiting 11 enforcement officers to catch the people who do not put their rubbish in the bin and who choose the floor instead.

That laziness costs the rest of us money to clear up and that cash could be used elsewhere.

Those officers will also have the power to tackle a wide range of other issues too including problem parking and graffiti.

As a sign of our determination, last week we pursued a number of offenders through the courts with more prosecutions in the pipeline.

The Gazette’s Comment (Litter Message Has To Reach The Young, Comment, Gazette, March 9) is spot on.

It is sad these purges are needed. But littering is a reality and we will do our best to catch the culprits while educating people into changing their behaviour as quickly and effectively as we can.

Velia Coffey deputy chief executive, Canterbury City Council, Military Road, Canterbury

Yes (re your excellent editorial “Litter message has to reach the young”, March 9), the question of how to get the message to our youngsters is the challenge.

Surely, parents who behave in a socially responsible way will pass that on to their children, so it is those parents who do not care who are perpetuating the attitude. The children need to hear the message in schools, and hopefully, influence their elders.

If there is not someone who can go around and give annual talks to the children, the schools need to ask their most committed teacher to give an imaginative talk to them.

Still, I don’t think that all the car-cleaning-out along the roads is due to children. Wouldn’t it make people think if they saw signs urging people to keep the beautiful countryside clean by taking their rubbish home?

And if our politicians and food and drink manufacturers could get their act together to make sure that cans and bottles had deposits payable on return (I know that this is complicated), all the children would be collecting them, and our roadsides would be nicer.

If we can do it with plastic bags, surely it is high time to carry this further.

Marilyn Sansom Grove Lane, Old Wives Lees, Canterbury

Lots of people took part in the Great British Spring Clean