SHOPKEEPERS in Melksham will have to take responsibility for cleaning the area outside their premises following new rules brought in by the local authority.
In a trial run that could be rolled out to other towns, West Wiltshire District Council has used powers outlined in the Clean Neighbourhoods Act 2005 to bring in the new procedures.
Councillors say the move is necessary to tackle the increasing amount of litter stemming from takeaways in Melksham on Friday and Saturday nights. Retailers will be made to keep the pavement outside their premises clean and the 10 metres either side and will be issued with Street Litter Control Notices or fined if they fail to do so.
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Steve Williams, environmental enforcement officer, said: "These notices are aimed at traders in the town.
"The extent of the litter now being dropped on the streets of Melksham must be addressed and retailers made aware of their duty of care in our community."
Although the notices are aimed at food retailers they could also apply to banks and building societies, cinemas, bingo halls and service stations.
Cllr Brian Mudge first raised the issue more than a year ago and has been fighting to have the rules implemented ever since.
He said: "These are not draconian measures.
"We are trying to help the district council keep the town clean but it is an uphill struggle. In the early hours of the morning you can see the problem that faces the street cleaners every weekend. We are trying to persuade people to be more responsible."
Cllr Mudge added that the police will also be keeping an eye on things to make sure traders comply with the rules and that people do not drop litter.
But he conceded that people often drop litter on their way home quite a way from the takeaway it came from.
Takeaway owner Mehmet Sen, of the Kebab House in Bank Street, agreed that litter from takeaways was a problem but said he already sweeps the street outside his shop. He said: "There is only one person from the district council who sweeps the streets in Melksham - we need more and we need more policemen to catch them dropping litter.
"It won't solve the problem at all. There are boys I have seen outside our shop who pee through the letterboxes - how are you going to expect this type of person to make sure they put their rubbish in a bin bag?"
The new rules will not affect the regular town centre litter collections provided by the district council, which will continue as normal.
Posted by: Daryl, melksham on 5:56pm Fri 25 Apr 08
The town council should provide 'Enforcement' Officers to patrol the filthy streets of Melksham between midnight and 4.00am, handing out 'on the spot' fines of £80.00 to the maruading drunken mobs who drop a chip or piece of kebab!.......and when the enforcement officers have been repaired.....get sensible and fork out for a few more street cleaners to start an early shift at weekends, pay them a decent salary and the right equipment to do the job efficiently...becaus
e even though there are too many 'takeaways' in Melksham, they should not be held responsible for litter being disposed of by customers when they leave the premises......While I am having a 'soap box' whinge......could shop assistants/food outlet operatives/bank clerks/travel agents etc please stop smoking at your door ways....it looks and smells terrible.
The town council should provide 'Enforcement' Officers to patrol the filthy streets of Melksham between midnight and 4.00am, handing out 'on the spot' fines of £80.00 to the maruading drunken mobs who drop a chip or piece of kebab!.......and when the enforcement officers have been repaired.....get sensible and fork out for a few more street cleaners to start an early shift at weekends, pay them a decent salary and the right equipment to do the job efficiently...becaus
e even though there are too many 'takeaways' in Melksham, they should not be held responsible for litter being disposed of by customers when they leave the premises......While I am having a 'soap box' whinge......could shop assistants/food outlet operatives/bank clerks/travel agents etc please stop smoking at your door ways....it looks and smells terrible.
Posted by: cindy, darkest Corsham on 3:56pm Sat 26 Apr 08
It is hardly the fault of the traders that the ill-educated low-life of melksham throw rubbish around the town. This is like saying if someone kills another person in a hit and run accident, the car dealer is to blame!
It is hardly the fault of the traders that the ill-educated low-life of melksham throw rubbish around the town. This is like saying if someone kills another person in a hit and run accident, the car dealer is to blame!
Posted by: westburygirl, westbury on 10:34am Sun 27 Apr 08
there are always going to be some of the public who are just NOT going toput their rubbish into a bag or bin... its not just melksham its all over...
years ago the traders in any town would all be outside their property sweeping up the rubbish..one to keep it out of their shop and two to make the place a bit nicer and cleaner.. you rarely see that nowadays i must admit.... and like the gentlemen said from t he kebab place ""It won't solve the problem at all. There are boys I have seen outside our shop who pee through the letterboxes - how are you going to expect this type of person to make sure they put their rubbish in a bin bag?"
its true..its usually late..they have more than likely had a skinfull of beer and other substances... you get someone telling them to pick up their rubbish and a lot will go mental and some one will get hurt.... you only have to watch street wars on tv and other programmes tailing the police at night in different towns to see how obnoxious the drunken public are late at night...NOT ALL..just some...
there are always going to be some of the public who are just NOT going toput their rubbish into a bag or bin... its not just melksham its all over...
years ago the traders in any town would all be outside their property sweeping up the rubbish..one to keep it out of their shop and two to make the place a bit nicer and cleaner.. you rarely see that nowadays i must admit.... and like the gentlemen said from t he kebab place ""It won't solve the problem at all. There are boys I have seen outside our shop who pee through the letterboxes - how are you going to expect this type of person to make sure they put their rubbish in a bin bag?"
its true..its usually late..they have more than likely had a skinfull of beer and other substances... you get someone telling them to pick up their rubbish and a lot will go mental and some one will get hurt.... you only have to watch street wars on tv and other programmes tailing the police at night in different towns to see how obnoxious the drunken public are late at night...NOT ALL..just some...
Posted by: Alex Zivojinovich, Wiltshire on 9:17pm Tue 13 May 08
I think that maruading scum from surrounding towns flood in at weekends to take advantage of our much classier pub scene and plethora of quality take ways. Driven by a jealousy that we have what they don't.
I think that maruading scum from surrounding towns flood in at weekends to take advantage of our much classier pub scene and plethora of quality take ways. Driven by a jealousy that we have what they don't.
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