A RALLYING call is being made to Tavistock residents to engage the 'Tidy Tavi' spirit and keep the town looking smart as the pressure of Devon County Council funding cuts start to show.

Cuts have meant that council services such as weeding and trimming have been reduced and some areas in the town are starting to look a little untidy.

A 'Tidy Tavi' group was formed more than six months ago and has drastically reduced the amount of litter that gathers on riverbanks and walkways through its once a month litter pick-ups.

Now householders are being urged to do their bit and keep the area around their properties looking groomed.

The issue was raised at a meeting of Tavistock Town Council last week, where it was suggested that residents could help to manage the problem.

Cllr Brian Trew said: 'My awareness is that the money just isn't there. It takes very little to go along your front curb and clear up what's there.'

County councillor for Tavistock Debo Sellis, who is a member of the Tidy Tavi group, has suggested that town councillors might like to work with residents to keep Tavistock cared for.

She said: 'I have received comments about weeds in guttering and how tatty the place is becoming.

'We had to make cuts and this is just one area where the cuts are starting to show.

'Because of the cuts, things have had to be prioritised.

'Previously, hedges and verges were trimmed more frequently, but now it is only the areas that need to be trimmed for safety reasons like roadsides that are being done.

'There are little things like on the estates where there are weeds growing up — if you look around Tavistock you can just see little bits here and there that aren't getting done.'

Cllr Sellis is now appealing to residents to be mindful of the area in which they live and to help by pulling out a few weeds, clear the curb sides or trim some hedges where needed.

'In other European countries it is mandatory that you have to keep the area outside your property clean and clear.

'In tough times we are just inviting people to see whether they are willing to clean outside their properties, so that we can try to keep Tavistock as well groomed as possible.

'The town is a World Heritage site and we should be keeping it as pristine as we can.'

Steve Hipsey from Tidy Tavi, said:'The Tidy Tavi group has really achieved something over the last six months in getting rid of an awful lot of deep litter that is buried in the hedges.

'But we concentrate on the main town and cannot get to the more peripheral areas. I think it is really important that everybody does their bit.'