THE region is about to get serious on litter prevention with grand plans being developed to keep Dumfries and Galloway beautiful.
The council intends on launching a formal litter prevention strategy, but with full input from the people who live and work here.
At next week’s communities committee, councillors will be asked to approve a six-month consultation process where the community can have their say on the best approaches to keep the whole of Dumfries and Galloway clean and tidy.
The council spends a minimum of £1.4m each year in street cleansing and lifting litter across the region. A review of operations now follows on the coat-tails of the Scottish Government publishing a new national strategy last year with a refreshed approach to flytipping and tackling litter.
A report on the strategy plans, due to be tabled at next Tuesday’s meeting, reads: “It is important that the views of our communities, volunteers, citizens and partners are captured and considered to ensure that we collaboratively work together to become a litter free region within a circular economy to reduce, recycle and reuse.
“Consultation will be a vital part of the development of the strategy. It is proposed to have a robust six-month consultation across our region.
“Our communities, volunteers, citizens and partners are integral to the development of a future Dumfries and Galloway Litter Prevention Strategy and Litter Reduction Action Plan.”
The consultation will include using hard copy surveys, which will be distributed throughout council customer service centres, leisure centres, and partner agency buildings.
Online surveys will also be available, while focus groups and online community conversations will be set up to gather the views of organisations, partners and stakeholders.
In February this year, the communities committee agreed to the continuation of various litter lifting and clean-up operations this year, such as the Spring Clean running from March 15 to April 28.
It was also agreed to develop a communications plan to relaunch the ‘Clean DG’ campaign, and design and install signage for lay-bys and open spaces with the Clean DG messaging.
A review of lay-by bin provision and servicing will also be carried out across the region to deter flytipping.
Work with dedicated volunteers across the region will also continue in supporting litter picking within communities.
If councillors rubber stamp the consultation process as expected, an updated report will be brought back by January 2025 which will detail the consultation analysis and help develop the Dumfries and Galloway Litter Prevention Strategy.
