West End Litter Petition Plea

• Litter problems reflect poorly on the West End
• Inadequate action from Council
• The West End deserves better

A petition has been launched calling on the City Council to do more to tackle problem litter and waste in the West End.

“For years, we’ve had a major problem with litter and fly-tipping … There has been inadequate action,” says the petition “… the West End deserves better.”

“Children have to walk though rubbish on their way to school and when playing out. Local businesses are affected as the litter problems reflect poorly on the West End. Local residents are fed up with so much rubbish in their gardens, streets and parks.”

It calls for “meaningful action” from the Council to tackle fly tipping; “adequate” household waste and recycling provision; a stop to bin raiding, and “sufficient” street bins in strategic locations to minimise littering.

It notes “the back lanes in the terraces of Arthur’s Hill, Benwell, Elswick and Wingrove are particularly badly affected.”

The ‘Clean Up Newcastle’s West End’ petition was set up by Elswick resident Taymar Pitman – a longstanding critic of Council policy on the environment and a Green Party campaigner.

“A petition is a quick and easy way to bring issues to the attention of our councillors and officers and help influence local decision making,” says the Council website.

“Petitions have been an important part of our democratic process for centuries,” say Petition Scheme Rules. “They go hand-in-hand with our rights to freedom of speech and peaceful, legal protest and they often highlight the strength of feeling for or against an important issue.”

If a petition gets 2,500 supporters, it will be considered for debate by a full meeting of the city’s 78 councillors.

_{GH 3 September 2020}