Council launches New Year Big Clean

People in East Durham will be encouraged to make a clean sweep of their area after a month-long major clean-up campaign is launched..

District of Easington Council’s annual New Year Big Clean sees residents and council workers joining forces to tackle litter, graffiti, flytipping and other environmental problems.

Last year, volunteers turned out in force to help clean up their local parks, sweep their streets and collect more than 130 bags of rubbish.

But organisers are hoping to achieve even better results this year by rallying the support of residents, community groups, schoolchildren and other groups.

Coun George Patterson, District of Easington Council’s Executive Member for Liveability, said: “We were extremely pleased with the success of last year’s event but would really like to see even more people joining in this year and doing their bit to make the district cleaner and greener.

“There are so many ways in which people can join the New Year Big Clean, from taking part in a litter pick to reporting flytipping – it’s all about actively taking pride in your community.”

The Big Clean, which was launched by Coun Patterson and pupils from Wellfield Community School, Wingate, this week, runs alongside the council’s regular New Year clean-up.

As part of the campaign, environmental and street wardens will also be stepping up their patrols and hading out fixed penalty notices to anyone caught dropping litter, allowing their dog to foul or breaking any other environmental law.

Tidy Ted, the Pride in Easington mascot, will be joined by officers from the council and East Durham Homes, when he visits local primary schools to talk about the importance of keeping neighbourhoods clean.

Pupils from comprehensive schools, meanwhile, will be repeating litter surveys they originally carried out at the end of last year to check whether rubbish levels have improved.

To join the New Year Big Clean contact the Pride in Easington team on (0191) 527 0501 or e.mail pride@easington.gov.uk

To report an environmental problem or request an extra rubbish collection contact Envirocall on (0191) 527 5040.