City Council working with partners and local residents to clean up Stoke-on-Trent

Local residents and corporate partners of Stoke-on-Trent City Council have helped to combat the litter issue in the city by carrying out litter picks in recent weeks.

Local residents and corporate partners of Stoke-on-Trent City Council have helped to combat the litter issue in the city by carrying out litter picks in recent weeks.

Novus Property Solutions have helped to clean up Stoke-on-Trent by carrying out a litter pick in the Scotia Valley area on Saturday March 13. Novus Stoke have worked with the council’s property repairs and maintenance company, Unitas, over the last three years and carried out the litter pick as part of their corporate social responsibility commitments. Sixteen staff members volunteered their time to clean up the area from Pitts Hill Pools along Scotia Brook. The team estimate that they collected over 32 bags of waste from the site plus larger items that were too large for bin bags.

Helen Meharg, Countryside Team Leader at the city council said: “We really appreciate the time and effort that the volunteers put in to helping to clean up the Scotia Valley. The site is a haven for wildlife and will benefit from having their habitat improved.”

Councillor Carl Edwards, cabinet member for housing and environment said: “I would like to thank the team from Novus Stoke for helping to clean up the Scotia Valley area. The City of Stoke on Trent has a strong tradition of green space provision and their efforts will help to maintain them for wildlife and local residents.

“It’s appalling that people think it is acceptable to throw their rubbish wherever they like, with no thought for their fellow residents or the environment. We take littering across the city extremely seriously and know that our residents have a strong sense of civic pride. Dropping litter is a disgusting habit that is a scourge on the city and the wider community.

“The city council has a zero tolerance approach towards litter. Littering is a criminal offence and carries a maximum penalty of £2,500 upon conviction in a magistrate’s court. I am incredibly pleased that we have had several recent enquiries from residents wishing to carry out litter picks and would like to thanks these individuals and community groups. Once again, we remind all residents and visitors to the city to please dispose of litter properly, use the street litter bins provided or take it home with you.”

Local resident Mandi Childs carried out a litter pick recently with her children. She said: “I started litter picking after another local lady shared her litter picking outing on Facebook. I wanted to join in, to teach my children to have pride in where they live, and to do my bit. It’s only a little thing, but it makes a big difference.”

Any residents or community groups who wish to help out with the drive to clean up Stoke-on-Trent by carrying out a litter pick in their local area can email environmentalclient@stoke.gov.uk. The city council can provide litter pickers and council branded litter bags.