Action needed to win war on waste say Rugby Lib Dems
Rugby Liberal Democrats are calling for decisive action to win the war on waste in our open spaces, parks, streets, and residential areas.
In July, Keep Britain Tidy reported that Councils were clearing up 57 tonnes of additional waste from their parks and over 100 local authorities had spent an extra £33,000 on managing parks in the past three months.
In recent weeks, Lib Dem Councillors have reported rubbish left in parks and carried out litter picks at the GEC Recreation Ground on Hillmorton Road and as part of the Keep Britain Tidy September clean up in the St. Peters Road area and the bridleway off Dunchurch Road.
The Liberal Democrats group is calling for fresh initiatives to tackle and discourage littering, fly tipping and to improve recycling across Rugby.
The nine strong Councillor group on Rugby Borough Council have put forward a series of motions to be voted on at the next Full Council meeting on Thursday 24 September 2020.
Commenting, Councillor Neil Sandison (Eastlands), said:
"Littering and fly tipping is a form of anti-social behaviour that has a detrimental impact on our environment, and it costs the council taxpayer huge amounts of money. More must be done against those who deliberately drop litter and fly tip including issuing and collecting fines and a greater use of Public Space Protection Orders."
Councillor Tim Douglas (Paddox), added:
"By joining the Keep Britain Tidy Network and introducing new ways to reduce waste such as Charity Bin sponsorship schemes and encouraging local supermarkets to trial reverse vending machines, Rugby Borough Council can lead the war on waste and incentivise residents to recycle more."
Commenting on the Keep Britain Tidy September clean up, Councillor Sue Roodhouse (Eastlands), said:
"It was frustrating to see the amount of litter and within an hour we had collected three bags of rubbish which included take away packaging and face masks. It's vital that Rugby Borough Council does more to engage with residents and businesses to ensure rubbish is binned and face masks are safely disposed of to prevent infection being spread."
Notice of motions Liberal Democrat Group September 2020
Motion 1
This Council notes the on-going problems of fly tipping and littering and recognises how this form of anti-social behaviour impacts upon our communities, natural habitat and cleansing budgets.
We welcome the new signage, copied from City of York Council, to be used in our open spaces but believe it needs to be underpinned by strengthened enforcement processes and fines including fixed penalty notices and public space protection orders. We call upon the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to come forward with a one-page review scoping document. We further call upon them to set up a suitable task group or groups to investigate and recommend policy changes. The task group to have a timetabled action plan with a requirement to report back to full Council on its progress by early 2021
- Proposed by Cllr Neil Sandison.
- Seconded by Craig McQueen.
Motion 2
This Council is committed to reducing all forms of waste in our environment and for cleaner streets, public spaces across our communities.
Council notes that:
The Keep Britain Tidy Campaign offers local authorities the opportunity to become a member of a Network, which provides access to specialist advice and support. The campaign is also promoting a Love Parks campaign and a Charity Bin sponsorship scheme whereby the monies raised from recycling cans deposited in designated local authority bins is contributed to local charities.
Several national supermarket chains are now operating trials of reverse vending machines, where customers are rewarded for returning used cans and bottles for recycling.
The Government department DEFRA has also previously published a voluntary code for local businesses and local business partnerships to sign up to and reduce the litter that results from fast food businesses.
Council resolves to:
- Ask the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to examine the merits of becoming a local authority member of the Keep Britain Tidy Network, and identify which of the campaign's initiatives, including Love Parks and Charity Bins, could be introduced in the Borough.
- Ask the Executive Director to write to national supermarket chains with stores in this borough asking them to consider Rugby as the location for a future trial of a reverse vending machines.
- Promote take up of the DEFRA voluntary code amongst our fast-food businesses and local business partnerships and seek their sponsorship for the introduction of a Charity Bin scheme and for public education programmes.
To report back to Council early 2021
- Proposed by Cllr Tim Douglas
- Second Cllr Neil Sandison