Renfrewshire Council has been accused of “failing” to deal with rubbish itself after thousands of volunteers took part in clean-up sessions in the past year.
More than 9,500 people took part in 3,750 clean ups in 2022/23 as part of the Team Up to Clean Up initiative – a partnership between the local authority and community focusing on keeping the area as tidy and free of litter as possible.
Those who support the award-winning campaign have been praised by elected members, who said it was “tremendous” that so many get involved in litter-picking events across the local authority.
However, questions were directed at the council for its own record on keeping on top of rubbish at the recent infrastructure, land and environment policy board.
Labour councillor Carolann Davidson, who represents Paisley East and Central, said it should not be down to the public to keep the streets clean.
She said: “Team Up to Clean Up, I commend all the volunteers, I think it’s tremendous there are 9,500 people taking part.
“I see them about all the time and I think all credit to them but I will just have to say again, why is there so much rubbish on the streets for them to pick up? Why is the council failing on picking up the rubbish themselves?”
SNP councillor Michelle Campbell, board convener, responded: “I understand that you have your opinion about these things but there is the StreetScene, the street cleaning does take place, but we can’t change that there are more people – and irresponsible people – who litter.
“The plight of rubbish is for all of us. The people that volunteer to do the Team Up to Clean Up, they don’t do it because they feel forcibly obliged to do it.
“They care for the environments that they live in. Just like you would sweep out your shared staircase and, yes, it is further afield but people want to do it.
“We create more rubbish as a society than what we did 30 years ago, so we have to take accountability to make sure that we keep our planet clean. It’s as simple as that.”
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