Wiltshire Council saves massive sum of money thanks to litter pickers

The council carries out regular litter collections on rural roads and verges as well as for the A303 and the A36, and currently spends more than £1.5m per year cleaning up litter.

Equipment has now been provided to towns and parish councils and community groups by idverde in partnership with Wiltshire Council.

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Councillor Caroline Thomas, Cabinet Member for Street Scene, said: “I’d like to thank all the people who are doing their bit to improve their communities by getting involved in litter picks in their local areas. The volume of litter collected and the number of hours that have been donated to this cause is fantastic – though, of course, it would be better if the litter wasn’t there to collect in the first place.

“Most people will dispose of their litter in a responsible way, but there are still those who don’t seem to care about our county, who will throw their rubbish without a care about what happens to it. People can be prosecuted for littering, and our enforcement officers are able to issue on-the-spot fixed penalty notices to anyone who is caught. This litter is not only a blot on our glorious landscapes, but also potentially harmful to wildlife and Wiltshire’s environment."

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Cllr Thomas added: “We have pledged to take responsibility for the environment as part of our Business Plan, and encouraging behaviour change and reducing incidents of littering are key priorities for us. Empowering residents to take part in litter picking initiatives also means that we can spend money on other essential services instead.”

Anyone who would like to help with the community litter pick should contact the Streetscene Community Engagement Manager at wiltshirehelpdesk@idverde.co.uk

People can report litter on Wiltshire.gov.uk/mywilts