Keeping Kendal tidy is a matter of great importance to the Society, albeit one of lower profile than some other of our objectives. At times, however, it seems a losing battle and can be very demoralising. So much litter and associated rubbish accumulates in Kendal’s highways, byways and public places that its effects can blight the architectural and other delights of our town. Council members of the Civic Society are really concerned about this and the purpose here is to give an update on our ‘war on litter’ and to outline ways in which Society members can help.
Since July 2004 we (Civic Society Council members) have held quarterly meetings with officials of South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) to discuss litter and a range of related matters. Our purpose is not to condemn but rather to inform them, seeking action on specific matters and to try to engage in mutual co-operation. To do this we maintain a close watch on the situation all over the locality, not just in the town centre. We look for litter ‘black spots’, overflowing or missing litter bins, fly tipping and so on. We have a core of keen walkers and runners who routinely cover practically every part of the town and its surroundings.
Our observations show that while the main streets (e.g. Highgate and Stricklandgate) and some of the central parks (e.g. Abbott Hall grounds, Gooseholme and Maudes Meadow) are diligently cleaned daily by SLDC (or by their agents ‘Continental Landscapes’), many other parts of the town are rarely if ever covered and large amounts of rubbish accumulate in these places. ‘Black spots’ include sections of the riverside, e.g. around Dockwray Hall, Magistrates’ Court, the old Webbs Nursery, Stramongate bridge, and Romney Bridge. The riverbank path behind the sewage works to its junction with Scroggs Wood also gets badly affected because much litter from further up the river Kent gets stranded here. Garth Heads, Castle Howe, Serpentine Woods and the ‘heights’ above the Tram deserve a mention too but, as many readers will know all too well, this is far from a complete list.
The routine response from the SLDC officials we meet is that we should tell them about the ‘black spots’, i.e. real concentrations of litter, not just the odd cigarette packet, bottle or can, and we should give them the details via their South Lakeland Direct hotline (telephone 0845 050 4434). They will then make every effort to clear it up within 48 hours. It has been our experience over the years we have worked with them that they usually do. The same applies to overflowing or missing litterbins, and fly tipping. They emphasise that all such reports are taken seriously and, in addition to tackling the immediate problems, we provide ‘intelligence’ which helps them modify their litter clearing routines. In fact they are grateful for our input and encourage us to act as their monitors, in other words to be their ‘eyes and ears’ because their own resources are so limited. This, then, is our current routine and the one we advise all members of the Society to take.
We also believe that as responsible citizens we should try to keep our own ‘patches’ tidy ourselves. By this we recommend that, as far as we are fit and able, we ought to clear up the litter from the areas close to our homes; places we walk or run, and to spread the word to friends that this is what we ought to do. A note of caution here;do be careful not to be obsessive, and however cross you may feel about what you encounter never harangue anyone. It would be wonderful if we could educate those responsible for the litter problems to change their ways, but it is probably unrealistic to think that we as individuals can make more than a small impression on the actions of such folk.
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