New Council policy effectively ‘bans’ community clean-ups

Community clean-ups by local anti-litter groups and Tidy Towns committees right across County Galway have effectively been banned by a new policy introduced by the local authority.

And it has led to immediate calls for Galway County Council to bin its new rules, which prevent local community groups, bodies and voluntary agencies from organising local clean-ups or gardening works.

Ten groups in Connemara have written to County Councillors to convey their frustration at the new policy and to plead with them to have it scrapped. The new policy means locals have been banned from picking litter and clearing up illegal dumping blackspots.

The new policy states: “No works will be permitted to take place on any major roads with a speed limit greater than 80 kilometres per hour and traffic volumes greater than 1,000 vehicles per day.”

Speed limit and traffic volume clauses effectively rule out clean-ups on any roads.

The definition of “works” in the policy extends to litter picking, grass cutting, strimming, spraying, watering plants, emptying litterbins, street sweeping, cleaning recycling centres, hedge trimming and maintenance of flower beds.

The policy document also says that community and voluntary groups – including Tidy Towns – must have written confirmation that proposed works will be carried out in compliance with health and safety.

“This effectively means that all involved must have the appropriate training, signage, equipment and properly developed and appropriate safety documentation,” the policy states.

This means that anyone wishing to join a Tidy Towns committee or volunteering to join a clean-up, will have to have done a health and safety training course.

“That’s just crazy,” said one member of an anti-litter group in Indreabhán.

“Galway County Council is responsible for the environment in the county and it is responsible for cleaning-up litter. But the problem is they are not cleaning-up, and that’s why voluntary and community groups are coming together to organise their own clean-ups.

“If we can’t do it, who is going to do it? If the Council wants to do it, then fine, do it, but the Council shouldn’t stop us from cleaning up litter if they’re not prepared, or don’t have the resources, to do it themselves,” she said.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.