3.6 Measures to Support Litter Initiatives in the Community

Closed5 Jan, 2018, 9:00am - 2 Feb, 2018, 5:00pm

Wider Community

The Council acknowledges the role the wider community has in litter control and it must promote the anti litter message to ensure all individuals take responsibility not to create litter. A large sector of the community plays a significant role in combating litter by organising litter patrols and in rural areas some community groups take on the responsibilities of emptying litter bins locally.

The EAO works with community groups to spread the anti litter message and to provide supports to those who are involved in litter control. The An Tasice National Spring Clean is a national campaign the Council uses each year to encourage community groups to become involved to assist in litter control. Over the past 3 years, the average number of participating Kilkenny groups has been approx. 120 registrations annually and an ambitious target to increase participation annually by 10% is set during the period of this plan.

National Spring Clean Launch in Kilkenny 2017

 

Table 3.6 Wider Community Actions

Action No.

Description

Expected Completion Date

PEA 5

Encourage groups to complete community clean ups by providing practical supports. Municipal district offices are to become supply hubs for litter picking equipment in addition to county hall to make resources more widely available.

Ongoing 2018-2020

LP9/PEA 6

Support An Taisce National Spring Clean Campaign

Ongoing

PEA 7

Research the establishment of a county wide clean up event

2018

PEA 8

Continue supporting tidy town entrants by the facilitation of the Tidy Towns Forum and determine how it could evolve over the plan period

Ongoing 2018-2020

PEA 9

Continue to promote national/regional litter campaigns

Ongoing 2018-2020

PEA 10

Promote litter related campaigns through local & social media and provide information briefings to groups such as SPC’s, PPN, ICA network, Age Alliance network ect.

Ongoing 2018-2020

 

Kilkenny Tidy Towns Forum

The National Tidy Towns Competition is going from strength to strength and local participating groups meet at the Tidy Town’s Forum meetings which are facilitated by the Council. The forum facilitator lines up speakers, provides funding announcements and grant guides in a social environment to allow groups to discuss issues that pertain to their local areas and their voluntary work. The forum is running successfully over the past three years and the networking is considered beneficial and worthwhile as local groups can learn from each other.

Tidy Towns Forum Trip to Carlow (Summer 2017)

 

Supporting Policy

  • The Education Unit is to review activities annually to ensure anti litter activities are relevant and dispersed throughout the county.

  • The Council will investigate how to encourage more communities to actively participate in litter control community initiatives and will research costs associated with having a county clean up day like the annual event in Limerick “Team Clean Up Limerick” which occurs every Good Friday.

  • The Council will actively promote pride of place to ensure all communities that receive Council funding maximise their potential to eliminate local litter black spots.

  • The Council will actively support external organisations that are assisting in litter control where possible.