IN HIS letter of July 22, PR Willey asks those who are concerned about the amount of litter in York to spare a thought for the hardworking teams who have to clear it.

All credit must go to these key workers, and I don’t think anyone could criticise the exceptional job they do. On the contrary, we need more of them.

The problem is obvious. York is a busy, growing city – the number of residents and the number of visitors keeps rising. Its economy is increasingly centred around eating and drinking, especially binge drinking. Unfortunately this creates a lot of litter, particularly on evenings and weekends when the city centre often looks filthy.

City of York Council is reaping the rewards this growth brings but refusing to reinvest in essential front-line services, and even cutting them in some cases. A handful of cleaners who knock off at teatime isn’t good enough.

Add the fact there is no visible enforcement against people who drop litter, or businesses who fail to clean up outside their shops, and it’s clear this problem will only get worse.

If York wants to be a world-class city, it must provide world-class standards of cleanliness.

Reece King, Acomb, York.