Folkestone Acts on Shameful State of Litter Bins

4.52.16pm GMT Fri 13th Jul 2007

Folkestone Town Council has agreed to act on the shameful state of street litter bins across Folkestone Town Centre. At their full Council meeting last night, a programme costing up to £3,000 to repaint key bins in the centre of town to improve the look of the Town Centre was agreed.

The motion, proposed by Lib Dem Deputy Mayor Emily Sanger, aims to achieve the repainting of around 50 bins, and the council is determined to act as quickly as possible. Although Shepway District Council own the bins, the supported the proposal to quickly enhance the look of the town centre.

The full motion passed reads:

"This Council notes the appalling state of repair of many of the street litter bins in Folkestone. This bins are owned by Shepway District Council, but we can no longer allow Folkestone's image to suffer due to their lack of repair.

"Research shows that it will cost in the region of £65 to arrange repainting a cast iron bin, with glass fibre bins likely to cost less.

"This Council asks the Community Services Committee to urgently pursue the earliest possible repainting of up to 50 bins in Folkestone, in agreement with SDC. This project should cost no more than £3,000 and should focus on bins in the Town Centre and key roads in town in the first instance, to include Sandgate Road, Black Bull Road, Dover Road, Canterbury Road, The Stade, Cheriton Road and Cheriton High Street, with the complete list to be agreed by the Chair of Community Services working with the Folkestone Town Centre Manager.

"This Council would prefer the bins to be painted in the Town colours of Blue and Gold, but will ask the Community Services Committee to take any recommendations from Contractors and SDC on any practical considerations into account."

Shepway Council Environment Cabinet member Rory Love has agreed in principle with the move in an email to Lib Dem Town Council Group Leader Tim Prater.