Those who drop rubbish on the streets will be under Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s spotlight as they raise awareness of the impact and consequences of littering.
During January and February the council’s community safety patrol officers will be focusing on littering and giving residents advice on how to report it, to help keep the borough’s streets cleaner.
The team will also be taking a zero tolerance approach to anyone caught littering, with offenders being issued with a fixed penalty notice of £75 and further costs if found guilty in a magistrates court.
Dropped litter doesn’t just blight our streets and open spaces, it has a financial impact – cleansing our streets can cost the council up to £2 million per year.
It harms our wildlife and ecological systems too. Wild animals can suffocate in discarded plastic bags and become entangled in elastic bands. Cigarette filters contain plastic as well as of thousands of chemical ingredients, which can be lethal to aquatic environments.
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Partnerships at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Cllr Simon Bound said: “The council takes a zero-tolerance approach to littering across the borough and this campaign aims to educate and, if necessary, take enforcement action.
“We are pleased to be taking the lead in cleaning up our borough but we encourage communities to get involved by organising a community litter pick or by reporting litter to us.”
Residents can report litter by visiting the council’s website: www.basingstoke.gov.uk/report-litter
