Litter pick during lockdown criticised
NEWCASTLE councillors have been told that they “have a responsibility to set an example”, after a complaint over a community litter pick during the national lockdown.
Independent councillor Ernie Shorton has faced questions over a litter pick organised around the Morrisons store in West Denton on the final Sunday before the second lockdown ended, November 29.
While both Northumbria Police and Newcastle City Council have concluded that the event did not breach lockdown rules, the local authority did write to all councillors this week to tell them they “must demonstrate best practice with regards to restrictions relating to Covid-19 at all times”.
Police said that the litter pick was allowed despite the lockdown restrictions, as there were exemptions for volunteering activities – though concerns were raised over a possible lack of social distancing and not all of the volunteers wearing face masks after photos circulated on social media. Coun Shorton, who represents the Chapel ward, insisted that the litter pick was “all Covid compliant” and said six people attended.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “We can confirm we received a call reporting a suspected breach of coronavirus regulations by a group of community litter pickers in West Denton.
“Officers reviewed the complaint but deemed that there had been no breach of regulations.
“There are exemptions within the current restrictions for community volunteering, as long as measures are taken to prevent the spread of the virus.
“As such, no further action has been taken.”
Government guidance during the national lockdown made volunteering work exempt from certain restrictions – saying that volunteers “can meet in groups of any size from different households, indoors or outdoors”, while urging them to take extra care to follow social distancing and hygiene measures. However, the charity Keep Britain Tidy offered stricter litter picking advice – saying that it should only have taken place during lockdown with one other person from outside your household, in line with the Government rules on meeting people in outdoor spaces.
An email seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which was sent by the council to all elected members this week, stated: “Just to let you know that we’ve been made aware of a community litter pick organised and facilitated by a councillor while the city was still in lockdown.
“This is not believed to have been in breach of regulations, which permits volunteering in groups of more than six, but there have been concerns raised around social distancing measures in place.
“Members are reminded that they have a responsibility to set an example in our communities and must demonstrate best practice with regards to restrictions relating to Covid-19 at all times.”
The complaint was made to police and the council by Brian Moore, a former Liberal Democrat councillor who has also stood in elections for the Conservatives, UKIP, and as an independent.
Mr Moore had claimed that the litter pick was a “political” activity rather than a volunteer event and “clearly breached Government guidelines”.
But Coun Shorton said: “It was all Covid compliant with masks, gloves, separation. The police contacted me as a courtesy just to let me know what was happening and they have responded accordingly to the complaint.
“That area next to the Morrisons has been a hotspot for litter and this was done at the request of residents, who also helpedus. “There has been what we call a litter purge in Chapel for the last two and a half weeks.
“Every day I have been helping with that, it will continue and it has all been Covid compliant.”