Free labour to reduce roadside litter

Under the Government’s Welfare to Work Scheme, Council could be allocated unemployed people in a bid to get them off state benefits and back into employment.

The issue was raised during a recent Health and Environmental Services Committee meeting after members commented on a recent DoE press release which showed that Ballymoney spent least on its street cleansing service out of the 26 NI district councils in the year 2008/9 - Ballymoney 254,589, Moyle 364,370 and Coleraine 1,296,669.

The Director expressed concern about the increasing problem of roadside litter and advised that it was hoped to obtain labour, at no cost to Council, to help redress the matter under the Government’s Welfare to Work scheme.

In response to comment by Cllr John Finlay, the Director also explained the Council’s policy as regards the sweeping of housing developments.

The Director advised members that the corresponding budget spend for the present year 2010/11 was approximately 200,000, a reduction of approximately 50,000 from the spend figure reported for 2008/9.

The Chair advised that this represented a rates saving of 1%. The Director advised that from another perspective it was the case that a 20% cut had been made in this frontline service.

At the request of Alderman James Simpson, the Director undertook to advise him as to the present position regarding the availability of home composters.