Second Newark street cleaner to be recruited

A pilot project aimed at improving street cleaning in Newark town centre is to be extended.

Street cleaner Mr Robert Sproates was recruited in December, with the cost being shared by Newark and Sherwood district and Newark town councils.

The town centre scheme has been judged a success, with improved response times to reports of litter and positive comments from the public and business owners.

It has proved so successful that a second street cleaner will be taken on to target Hawtonville.

It follows a study that identified locations with higher numbers of complaints about litter.

Mr Peter Duncan, chairman of the district council leisure and environment committee, said: “Both the district and town council have been pleased with the results achieved in Newark town centre and we must strive to maintain those high standards throughout the district.

“The visible presence of a cleansing operative in heavily littered areas has been proven to have a positive impact on reducing litter.

“We anticipate that having a barrow orderly in the Hawtonville area will have a similar positive impact on what is one of the district’s most problematic areas for littering.”

Bins at every A1 lay-by

The study identified that more education to combat littering was needed throughout the district and a campaign would start in April.

It will focus on fly-tipping and littering, as well as publicise the benefits of the district council’s garden waste schemes, bulk waste services and trade waste services.

The A1 was identified as another litter hotspot and the council’s waste and recycling business unit has paid for 240-litre litter bins to be placed in every A1 lay-by in the district.

Bin lorries will ensure the lay-by bins on the 16 miles of the A1 through Newark and Sherwood are regularly emptied.