Litter and dog fouling action week in Fort William communities

A campaign to encourage locals to clean up their own litter and dog fouling in the communities of Plantation and Upper Achintore in Fort William starts on Monday 21 June 2010.

The joint initiative between The Highland Council’s Housing and Property and Transport Environmental and Community Services involves working with local school children on a competition to produce a promotional leaflet that will encourage locals not to drop litter and to clear up after their dogs.

Councillor Brian Murphy, Vice Chairman of The Highland Council’s TEC Services Committee said: “People in the community have said that they want to clean up the Plantation and Upper Achintore and to make the outdoors more enjoyable for everyone. It is an offence to allow a dog to foul in a public place and not to clear up after it. Dog fouling, litter and fly tipping spoil everyone’s enjoyment of our wonderful scenery and make it dangerous for our children, pets and wildlife that can pick up and transmit infection or even choke on discarded ring pulls.”

He added: “It costs the Council Tax payer a lot of money to clean up litter, fly tipping and dog mess. Anything that is thrown down, dropped or deposited and left that causes defacement, in a public place is litter…even apple cores are litter. The money spent on cleaning up after thoughtless people could go towards other environmental works to make sure the community has an area to be proud of.”

During the week commencing 21st June, people are being reminded that litter, fly tipping and dog fouling (allowing your dog to foul without the intent to clean it up) is everyone’s problem and that these are all criminal offences and can attract a Fixed Penalty notice of £50 and £40 respectively.

Mike Leary, Community Works Manager said: “We hope to extend the campaign to Glen Coe, Ballachulish and Kinlochleven and then on to Corpach, Banavie and Caol areas.

Morag Cameron, Principal Housing Officer said: “Our Community Wardens work closely with the community to tackle litter, fly tipping and dog fouling – we all welcome this campaign to highlight these issues.”