A new campaign to create a cleaner, safer and healthier Gravesend is launched today (Monday) by Gravesham Borough Council, working alongside local residents, businesses and partner organisations.
Together – Creating Cleaner, Safer Streets is a borough-wide campaign aimed at galvanising community and civic pride.
It launches with a series of days of action concentrating on Gravesend town centre focussing on community safety and licensing issues, as well as cracking down on street drinking and anti-social behaviour, with an ongoing increased police presence in the town.
Gravesham has already recruited 500 Street Champions across the borough, local volunteers who work to keep their own neighbourhood litter-free with the council’s support, and is looking to increase that number to 1,000 as part of the campaign.
The Street Champions will play a leading part in a series of community litter picks, with the first on Wednesday (24 July), starting and finishing at the Three Daws pub, next to Town Pier.
Launching the campaign, Cllr John Burden, Leader of Gravesham Borough Council, said: “During the public consultation on our new Corporate Plan, residents and businesses made it very clear that the linked issues of litter, the general appearance of the town, and anti-social behaviour need tackling.
“Of course we accept that, and we have been working with key partners such as Kent police to think imaginatively about how best to use the limited resources we have most effectively.
“A cleaner, healthier, safer town will encourage more visitors, both residents and those from further afield, and boost business and pride in the borough.
“This new campaign is intended to make a real difference. It’s a long-term commitment from multiple agencies.”
However, Cllr Burden added the local community had its own role to play and couldn’t simply expect official bodies to do it all.
He said: “It’s a sobering fact that our street cleaning teams collect 8 tonnes of litter and fly-tipped waste a day across the borough – that’s 2,080 tonnes a year.
“They are on the streets working all day, seven days a week, but while people continue to drop litter, litter will continue to be a problem.
“You may see a litter-strewn street and question why we as a council are doing nothing about it, but the truth is often that we will have been and cleaned that street very recently, only for people to come along and drop their rubbish in our wake.
“Our teams cannot be everywhere all of the time, which is why we are so grateful to our Street Champions, ordinary members of the public who take great pride in their borough and their neighbourhood. We need more like them to come forward.”
Working together with Kent police, the council is looking to tackle the issue of street drinking within Gravesend, with enforcement of the town centre-wide Public Space Protection Order being stepped up.
Cllr Burden said: “A small number of people are having a detrimental impact on our town, and we cannot let that continue.
“Not only will our colleagues at Kent police be stepping up enforcement, we are also looking at ways of redesigning open areas such as St Andrew’s Gardens to make them less attractive to street drinkers and more welcoming to families. That’s not a quick fix, but work is well under way to make it happen.
“We are also using money from the Government’s Safer High Streets fund to make changes that will significantly increase safety and security in the town centre.”
Kent Police’s North Kent Chief Inspector Will Lay said: “As part of our day-to-day policing officers patrol the town regularly and engage with the local community to tackle concerns and prevent ongoing issues.
“During these two weeks there will be an increased police presence in the town with specialist officers working alongside partners to tackle criminality such as street drinking, shoplifting and general anti-social behaviour.
“We want people to enjoy visiting the town and to feel safe when doing so, and we welcome the opportunity to work alongside our partners with the common goal of creating positive change and to ensure those responsible for crimes are held accountable.”
Cllr Burden added: “This is just the start. One of the borough’s greatest strengths has always been its sense of community. We aim to harness that and work together to be proud to be Gravesham.”
To volunteer to join the council’s Street Champions scheme, visit www.gravesham.gov.uk/street-champions.
For Wednesday’s community litter pick, meet at the Three Daws at 10am for a 10.30am start. Litter picking equipment will be provided. To register your interest in taking part, email street.champions@gravesham.gov.uk.