Council team clears up dumping hotspot in Dewsbury town centre

As part of a recent day of action in the town centre, officers from Kirklees Council came together to remove the build-up of rubbish from an eroded pathway.

The pathway, through woodland behind the Wilko store, leads away from the tarmacked footpath joining Manor Street to the car park on Crackenedge Lane.

The area had been reported to the council by police as a dumping hotspot.

The tarmacked footpath is regularly cleaned by the council as part of normal street-sweeping activities but concerns were raised the unsightly wooded area above it could attract anti-social behaviour such as street-drinking, which can increase anxiety for shoppers and visitors who use the nearby footpath.

Coun Naheed Mather, cabinet member for environment, said: “We want Dewsbury town centre to be a clean and safe place where people can take pride in the place they work, shop or visit.

"Our partnership work to tackle unsightly waste and hazards is a vital part of the varied work we do in the town centre to boost local pride and improve safety.

“Clearing pathways like this may seem insignificant on the surface, but litter and fly-tipping isn’t just an eyesore. It can be potentially dangerous and even intimidate those who use these spaces.

"A clean environment goes a long way to improving overall perceptions of an area and can even help to discourage nuisance behaviour longer term.

“We’ll continue to work with our partners to take appropriate action to prevent, and support those affected by, street-drinking and anti-social behaviour. These are not just local issues, but widespread and persistent problems across the country.

“Helping people to feel safer has an added poignancy right now following increased reports of violence towards women and girls in particular, such as the tragic murders of Sarah Everard, Sabina Nessa and Ashling Murphy.

“If you have felt or feel unsafe in public areas because of environmental issues like street lighting, abandoned buildings or vandalism you can report it at www.police.uk/streetsafe.”

Rubbish from the bottom of School Street, a known spot for street-drinking, was also cleared away as part of the day of action and officers spoke with several residents and businesses on Union Street, Oates Street and Bond Street to promote the good and proper disposal of waste.

The council intends to monitor the areas tackled and work with local police to explore further improvements to these areas that could reduce the risk of anti-social behaviour and crime.