Council launches '30 ways to keep Wandsworth clean and tidy' campaign

Wandsworth Council is launching a campaign to tackle post lockdown litter and the mentality where "an inconsiderate minority think they can get away with spoiling our borough."

In support of Keep Britain Tidy, the campaign will feature a daily social media post highlighting how Wandsworth council battles littering and fly-tipping across the borough.

Cabinet member for community services and open spaces, Cllr Steffi Sutters, said: "Our message is simple, we won't tolerate people who dump rubbish on the streets of Wandsworth or litter and we will make concerted efforts to detect and penalise those who commit this environmental crime."

"At the end of the day, litter isn't someone else's problem – it's everyone's problem. The cost of clearing up after the carelessness is too great and we all need to do you bit.

"We all have a responsibility to protect our environment, to help all the wildlife that die in our parks and rivers because of litter, as well as the damage caused by broken glass or worse."

Wandsworth and Lambeth: A Tale of Litter in Two Boroughs

Clapham as a town is caught between Wandsworth and Lambeth. The boundary between the two authorities runs across Clapham Common, but Lambeth Council determines how the space is managed - and there is growing despair at how frequently the Common is left litter strewn.

In June, Nub News reported on a local petition the organisers of which requested more bins be placed on Clapham Common during the summer period. They made the practical point that educating people to take their rubbish home would take far longer than providing bins as a temporary solution to the problem.

As we approach the August bank holiday weekend, there is no sight of either solution on Clapham Common.

How Clapham can spread the Wandsworth campaign across Lambeth

Evidence says Wandsworth Council tackles littering and fly-tipping more effectively than neighbouring Lambeth.

Official statistics show that fly-tippers who dump their waste in Wandsworth are more likely to be caught and punished than in many other London boroughs.

Last year Wandsworth suffered 4,745 flytips and issued 955 fines - meaning one in five culprits will be caught and fined. In neighbouring Lambeth where 6,638 flytips occurred only 591 fines were issued.

Clapham Common may fall under Lambeth management, but all of us in the local area can help imbibe our green space with the principles set out in Wandsworth council's campaign.

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