Fast-track Council squad cleaning up for civic pride

Meet Renfrewshire’s Rapid Response Team – the Council’s mobile patrol squad aiming to boost civic pride in Renfrewshire’s key streets and open spaces.

The three-strong team of Community Safety Wardens provides a fast-track service for preventing build-up of unsightly rubbish and street clutter in key hotspots through:

·         daily street patrols on week days

·         on-the-spot removal of offending items where possible

·         offering advice and information to traders and residents on waste disposal

The aim is to supplements the routine street cleaning and waste disposal work done by the Council’s army of hard-working waste workers.

Team members – who also have powers to track down and prosecute rubbish-dumping rogues – target the types of waste which cause most everyday nuisance, offence and slip or traffic safety risks from:

–          stray trade and commercial waste
–           uncollected household bin bags
–           illegal flyposting
–           fly-tipping of food, construction materials and households goods
–           unsightly street litter and overflowing litter bins.

Team Leader and Community Safety Warden Liz Borland came up with the idea of setting up a small team of Community Safety Wardens who could carry out their monitoring and enforcement duties while doing on-the-spot removal of small items themselves.

And that also means a faster response to complaints about nuisance dumping, littering and flyposting.

The trio can give local businesses helpful guidance on strict and sometimes tricky-to-get-a-grip of nationwide laws governing how every single business must get rid of their rubbish and waste.

With at least five private companies and the Council removing waste from businesses in Paisley town centre alone, one of the key areas of the Team’s disposal work is monitor the right bags are out on the “right” days.

Helping residents in high-density town centre tenements learn how to manage their household waste disposal – such as bin collection dates – is another task which the Team may be called on to do.

Jennifer McKay, owner of Malatso bistro in Paisley’s High Street, said: “Having the Rapid Response Team is fantastic.

“You can see it’s really making a difference in the streets and they’re so helpful in going above and beyond in doing things to make the town centre look better.”

Business leaders are also supportive of the initiative.

Andrew Mitchell, Manager of Paisley First, said:

“The Rapid Response Team provides a valuable and worthwhile service for businesses and visitors in Paisley town centre which helps to keep our streets clean and free from litter. 

“We have reported litter and graffiti issues to the Team and, as their name suggests, the issues are dealt with quickly.  If you see any issues, then please do not hesitate to contact the Council.”

Councillor Eddie Devine, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Environment Policy Board, said:

”The Rapid Response Team is an excellent example of the Council’s determination to encourage greater pride in the streets and public places used by businesses, residents and visitors.

“It support the work of other Council resources which focus on handling the large volumes of waste generated in modern day life.

“This initiative shows the power of personal contact at local level to advise and inform businesses and residents alike of how best to keep Renfrewshire a place we can all enjoy and take pride in.”

See  www.renfrewshire.gov.uk or phone 0300 300 0380 if you want 

–           more information about safe disposal of trade or household waste

–           to tell the Council about fly-tipping, street litter, fly-poster, graffiti