In response to a letter (Echo, March 23 Clear up the Litter) We began our spring-cleaning picks last week and our crews are out there right now as I type this, picking up the mess that shouldn’t be there in the first place.

Throughout the pandemic a large proportion of our workforce have been off self-isolating or sick.

While everyone is getting their jab, we’ve been focussing on making sure available employees are deployed to cover kerbside collections.

So while it’s untrue to state that nothing has been done, this means we haven’t been able to do as much litter picking as usual up until now, especially given the vital road closures that take time and planning to make sure our employees can work safely.

Perhaps if we all focussed our anger at those lazy and selfish few who mess up our roadside verges, rather than at those who have to clear it up, maybe we’d stop making excuses for their behaviour and they’d feel less comfortable tossing their rubbish out of their cars.

I’d like to thank all the volunteer litter-pickers around Dorset who would agree “It’s not too difficult to organise putting a can or plastic bottle in a bag”.

Anyone else who wants to setup their own litter-pick (away from the highway) should please visit www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/ litter-picks

CLLR JILL HAYNES

Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services