Litter news

Why do we need a Litter Campaign in Spelthorne?

We know that littering and fly tipping are a priority concern for residents in Spelthorne.  The Council constantly receives feedback from residents about the cleanliness of the Borough and people are keen for us to do more to tackle the problem of litter. We realise that the majority of residents do not drop litter and we welcome their help in keeping local neighbourhoods clean and tidy. However there is a small minority who drop litter indiscriminately. Littering is often an unconscious act and research shows that the best campaigns make people stop, and think. We hope that our new litter prevention campaign will get the residents of Spelthorne talking and will tackle the challenge of changing behaviour head-on.

The hope is that the campaign with the hashtag #NoRubbishExcuses will be shared across our communities and our growing army of volunteer litter pickers. There are already regular litter pick events and groups running across the Borough, including 'Spelthorne Litter Pickers' who are very active in the Borough. The Council is showing their support by promoting events through our communication channels and providing equipment for the pick-ups and a point of contact who arranges any help they may require to ensure the tasks are done safely and efficiently.

Why now?

This autumn and in conjunction with Keep Britain Tidy and their 'Great British September Clean', www.keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/support-our-campaigns/great-british-spring-clean our #NoRubbishExcuses campaign aims to bring everyone together in the fight against the crime of littering. Our focus will be on urging residents, businesses and local communities to get involved by becoming litter aware and taking a pride in their area.

Engagement with the community

We will combine the visual graphics with enforcement warnings - messages highlighting the risk of a fine for littering will be displayed on our Borough noticeboards, social media and website. We hope that by increasing awareness of the issues surrounding littering and fly tipping, and working together, we can keep our Borough beautiful.

This is a concentrated effort and will involve a number of different methods. We want to engage with local communities and empower them to take positive, preventative action. #NoRubbishExcuses campaign will be backed by our partners and businesses across the Borough, including Visit Staines, Two Rivers, The Elmsleigh Centre and MacDonald's.

We hope that this coordinated approach with our community; residents, businesses and stakeholders will see positive results. The work already done by our residents has begun to energise the community which emphasizes that this is the right time to launch our campaign.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, engagement with schools at this stage will be a bit more difficult but we will find ways of sharing our messages with the younger generation by using promotion material such as stickers and bookmarks. The Mayor of Spelthorne will also act as an ambassador to promote the campaign with his connections at the Girl Guides and Scouts.

About the campaign

Six 'hotspots' or areas of concern have been highlighted in the Borough that we need to focus on - streets, parks, playgrounds, the river, wildlife and roads. Individual graphics have been created to emphasise that litter is not welcome in Spelthorne and we think the bright graphics will make an instant connection with our audience, using language that is instantly recognised and relatable.

Catch lines

1. Not in our parks
2. Not in our rivers
3. Not on our roads
4. Not for our wildlife
5. Not on our streets
6. Not in our playgrounds

These headers have been partnered with the #NoRubbishExcuses hashtag and examples of 'excuses' are depicted within the litter graphics eg 'too lazy'.

Campaign activities

We have identified a number of communication channels for these messages, including; social media, website, news and noticeboards.

We will also be highlighting the current guidance to support all our volunteers to litter-pick in the safest way possible from Keep Britain Tidy;  https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/        

What can you do?          

• there are about 560 street litter bins in Spelthorne which are emptied at various frequencies depending on their location. Litter bins should not be used for the disposal of household refuse or trade waste. To report a damaged or overflowing litter bin contact Neighbourhood Services on 01784 446411 or email neighbourhoodservices@spelthorne.gov.uk
• poster - visual attached and free to download
• if you would like to speak to the team to enquire about litter pick up equipment please email neighbourhoodservices@spelthorne.gov.uk or call 01784 446411
• follow us on social media and share our message. For details of litter pickups in your area follow 'Spelthorne Litter Pickers' on Facebook and Instagram
• littering is an offence which can result in a fine of up to £2,500. The Council also has powers to require certain types of businesses to reduce the effects of litter attributable to them
• fill in a street cleaning request form
• details on the Great British September clean can be found on their website
• guidance to support all our volunteers to litter-pick in the safest way possible; www.keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/support-our-campaigns/great-british-spring-clean/coronavirus-guidance
• you can keep up to date with all Council news by signing up to our e-newsletter or register for Customer Portal which will keep you up to date on selected information by email including rubbish/recycling collection reminders