A year after a Government report highlighted the problem of litter in Wigan, independent figures show the borough is getting cleaner.
Changes in the way council services are organised have led to a big drop in the number of dirty streets.
New ‘neighbourhood’ teams responsible for street cleaning, minor highway repairs and gum and graffiti removal are being set up in every township. And in the six months since neighbourhood working was introduced, the number of streets that fell below a satisfactory standard for litter and detritus has dropped from over 60% to a far more creditable 18%.
In a further move to deter enviro-crime, 100 employees from members of Wigan and Leigh’s community safety partnership are being trained to spot offences, offer advice and issue fines.
Cllr Kevin Anderson, cabinet champion for neighbourhoods, said: “We will have 100 extra pairs of eyes and ears, all with the ability to identify environmental crime and to take the most appropriate action to stop it.”
Guides and brownies from Astley and Tyldesley have done their duty by taking part in a massive clean-up. Armed with ‘picking claws’ supplied by the council they filled dozens of bags with rubbish from all over the area. If you know of a grot spot and want to help clean it up, you can contact the council’s Eco Team on 01942 488222.
