Work’s in hand to tidy up blackspots (From York Press)

Work’s in hand to tidy up blackspots

10:44am Friday 12th October 2012 in Letters By Readers' letters

WHILE the photographs of refuse for private collection and graffiti on private property (Letters, October 10) do not show York in a good light, City of York Council is already working through the Reinvigorate York and Smarter York initiatives to improve the situation:

• We regularly visit businesses to offer advice on disposal, storage and presentation of waste and on their legal duties

• We have met residents of certain private lanes to help them maintain an acceptable level of cleanliness

• We are already working with private owners to allow offenders working in the community as reparation for their offences (Community Payback) to remove graffiti from their land or property at no cost

• We are starting talks with businesses and commercial waste contractors on storing waste and timing its presentation for collection.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to report any issues direct to the council on 01904 551551 or via our Smarter York app so we can take action.

Russell Stone City of York Council’s Head of Neighbourhood Pride.

 

•I ENDORSE everything that DA Heald noticed in the guided tour he gave to his visitors.

I will add, however, that it is not only the centre of York which suffers from rubbish in our streets. Nor is it only the visitors who might be offended by it.

We live off Acomb Wood Drive, and in our area, litter is scattered over the playing fields, caught in hedges, strewn over the pavements and fouling bus stops.

The other morning I was pleased to see a council road sweeper coming down our road.

But with any wind, the litter on the pavement will blow on to the streets and that work will be wasted.

I have not seen any attempt by the council to encourage citizens of York to keep our city tidy and bin their litter – but then where are the bins? Oh yes, some have been removed by the very same council.

It can’t be beyond the wit of council officials to come up with a strategy to keep York litter free. Whatever happened to Keep Britain Tidy?

Or perhaps the council members do actually reflect the citizens they represent and are happy to tolerate York becoming an untidy and grubby city.

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