6:16pm Wednesday 30th April 2008
By Arron Hendy
LITTER campaigners are urging residents to help clean up Dorset.
The county's branch of The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) held a seminar to discuss the launch of Stop The Drop, its new litter and anti fly-tipping campaign.
Director of CPRE Dorset Robin Bowtree said it was time to turn their words into action.
He said: "This is the time for everyone to open their eyes to litter and do something about it rather than sitting idle and doing nothing. Let's really make Dorset a clean county and take the lead in this campaign."
The Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils were amongst 40 delegates attending the seminar and all deplored the present state of litter.
Waste reduction officer for Dorset County Council, Marten Gregory, told the seminar this year's abandoned car scheme had been a success.
CPRE Dorset is urging people to take action by lobbying councils, government and any others legally responsible for keeping land litter-free.
Mr Bawtree wants parish councils to follow the lead of Wool, which has financed its own litter warden with its part of the council tax. He also wants individuals to organise groups within villages to clear up litter around their homes.
The seminar followed the launch in London by the CPRE's national president, the author Bill Bryson.
At the launch he said we have moved past the age of the slogan Keep Britain Tidy and we now need to get Britain tidy.
Mr Bryson's assistant, Mardi McGregor, attended the Dorset seminar and said litter had multiplied nationally by five times in the last four years to 25 million tons, costing the taxpayer £650 million per year to remove.
Waste enforcement officer for West Dorset District Council, Debbie Thomas, also attended to report on recent court cases regarding litter.
She said that any cases of litter in West Dorset should be reported to WDDC on 01305 251010.
For more information about Stop the Drop or to sign up for Bill Bryson's newsletter call Robin Bawtree on 01305 265808 or visit www.cpre.org.uk and www.litteraction.co.uk
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