The
success of a Boston Standard campaign is to be highlighted at the
forthcoming national conference of the Institute of Environmental
Health – and its methods could be introduced across the UK, writes
Sarah Lagan .
As part of its Litter Blitz campaign, the paid-for
weekly has been publishing CCTV pictures of people dropping litter in
the streets or allowing their dogs to foul in the town centre, since
last summer.
Readers have been encouraged to contact Boston
Borough Council which is supplying the CCTV images and to name the
culprits, who are then fined £50. According to the Standard, in the
last few months there have been no more CCTV images of people dropping
litter that it can publish.
Representatives of local authorities
across England and Wales have visited Boston’s Municipal Buildings to
see how the scheme works. Middlesbrough, Nottingham City Council, East
Cambridgeshire, Pembrokeshire and North Kesteven are among the councils
which have already shown an interest.
Boston Borough Council head
of community services, Andy Statham, said: “Things are looking better
because of the campaign – it seems to have changed people’s behaviour.”
Keep Britain Tidy campaigners ENCAMS are using the Standard’s campaign as a case study.
Standard editor Julia Ogden said: “We’re pleased our campaign has helped to give people a sense of civic pride in our town.”
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