A PROMINENT citizen wants to rid Tavistock of street litter and he is calling for people to rally round and do their bit to clean up the town. Dr James Allenby, who lives at Middlemoor, said Tavistock is a 'beacon of success' — lauded as a top market town and 'exemplar of good food' — but the spread of litter on the streets is underlining much of this hard won reputation. He is calling on individuals, business, councils and organisations to take more responsibility for this growing social problem. Some of his suggestions include: l adults giving a better example to children by not throwing rubbish out of their cars l walkers taking rubbish bags with them and collecting rubbish as they go l replacing plastic shopping bags used in supermarkets with biodegradeable ones l in a similar ethos to Neighbourhood Watch, people in residential areas to organise themselves to keep their streets rubbish free. Dr Allenby, a retired GP who served his Tavistock practice for many years, also suggests there should be specific times of the year when main roads in and around the town could be designated for a clear up by groups of volunteers. He said: 'Specific sections of road might become the responsibility of certain groups. For instance it might be reasonable to expect FOSCA — the borough's waste contractors — to keep a section of road clear of rubbish, say, 200 metres either side of the entrance of Crowndale tip. 'Kelly College and Tavistock Community College might volunteer similar responsibilities around their precincts. 'The golf club members and Whitchurch Commoners might keep Whitchurch Down clear of rubbish. Farmers, pub landlords and shopkeepers could do likewise. 'Local groups could raise money for more litter bins and signs reminding people to "Take your litter home".' Dr Allenby said such a scheme needed a 'kick start' from Tavistock Town Council and West Devon Borough Council and from each parish he calls for a volunteer to step forward to take a lead. 'It is a small way for us to contribute to the Green agenda.' Dr Allenby's initiative was welcomed by the borough council. Chief executive David Incoll said: 'The borough council is responsible for street cleaning of adopted highways and footways throughout the borough. Litter-picking is normally carried out from hedgeline to hedgeline. 'We do regularly litter-pick the town approach roads and major interconnecting roads which have highest priority. In particular, these routes are tackled with a "deep clean" at this time of year when the vegetation exposes any litter.' Mr Incoll said the council would be willing to back community groups who wished to organise litter-picks in their area by loaning litterpickers, hi-vis vests, supplies of sacks and the collection of the litter after the event. He said: 'It is important to remember that litter should not be collected without using a litterpicker, gloves etc. Litterpicking along traffic routes has to be carried out under strict health and safety rulings and to specific traffic management guidance. 'Officers are happy to, and indeed often do, attend parish or community group meetings to discuss litter prevention initiatives and methods.' Tavistock Town Council said it would be behind any such scheme if Dr Allenby was to organise one. Town clerk Roger Howard: 'Town council workers already do a number of litter runs. At the weekend at the Meadows and other open spaces we pick up to five to six bags, including that from waste bins and doggy bins. 'Its a lovely idea and I'm 100 per cent behind it. I'm sure there are grants available for this sort of thing.' Colin Eves, principal of Tavistock College, said the college would support anything that reduced litter and indeed the college council had been discussing ways in which they can improve the situation within the college and community. 'Obviously any work they do will have much greater impact if it's replicated by other sectors of the community, so we have adults working together with youngsters.' West Devon Borough Council can be contacted on 01822 813600.
