Council voices anger over ‘dirty and messy’ town
Amble Pier.
A north Northumberland seaside town has been branded dirty and messy, amid concerns over increasing amounts of litter and dog dirt.
Members of Amble Town Council voiced their frustration last Thursday night, claiming that the town is in a deteriorating state.
The harbour and pier was highlighted as one of the dog-mess hotspots.
And in a bid to try to resolve some of the issues, the council is to contact County Hall about the litter problems and enforcing dog-fouling fines.
Coun Helen Lewis said: “The general deterioration of our town saddens me. It makes it look dirty and it is sad to see our town looking so untidy and a mess.”
She added that litter can be lying around for weeks and said there seemed to be less county council litter collectors working in Amble and that they were spending less time in the town.
Coun Craig Weir said the dog mess on the pier ‘reflects badly on the town’.
Meanwhile, Coun Leslie Bilboe said litter was an ‘age-old problem’ but ‘unless it is enforced, you are hitting your head against a brick wall’.
Coun Velda Nicholson called for more people to speak out on the issue.
After the meeting, harbour master Simon Baxter admitted there was an issue at the harbour.
He said: “There is a problem with dog fouling on the harbour and pier areas. The majority of personnel clean up after their dog, however, there’s a small minority who consider this beneath them.”
The issue has also been raised by one Amble resident, who contacted the Gazette last week.
Beverley Stewart said: “I went for a walk around Amble pier with my sister and my 18-month-old daughter.
“Usually I let her out of the buggy to walk for a bit, but there was that much dog dirt there was no way I could let her walk.
“It was hard enough trying to avoid it with the wheels of the buggy.
“I have a dog myself and I know that it takes a few seconds to pick up, bag it and bin it.
“If a fine is £1,000 a time then there is a fortune on that pier.”
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Weather for Northumberland
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 6 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 30 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: North east
