New bins will help keep the town clean

We’ve installed some new bins as part of our efforts to make the town centre attractive and vibrant for everyone – something respondents to the recent community survey told us was a key priority.

As well as the new bins, the recent reopening of the Cascade water feature and the popular two-hours free parking offer, there’ll be more town centre events and a dedicated Street Scene team leader to focus on the cleanliness and maintenance of the town centre.

There are ten of the Bigbelly bins – nine in the town centre and one in Cockerton shopping area. They are solar powered and can hold up to eight times more litter than the old bins, because the rubbish is squashed down after being thrown away. They won’t fill up and overflow as quickly, so they won’t need to be emptied as often, leaving staff free to concentrate on keeping the town centre clean and tidy.

The Bigbelly bins - which can also be seen in York, Stockton and Hartlepool among other places - cost a total of £60,000, which includes a five-year maintenance contract. The money for the bins has come from Street Scene’s annual budget.

Councillor Nick Wallis, cabinet member for leisure and local environment, said: “Our Street Scene staff work hard, along with our many fantastic Street Champions and other volunteers, to clear litter from our streets but it’s an ongoing battle.

“We have adopted a zero tolerance approach to litter and from September civic enforcement officers will be on patrol so people must find a bin or take your rubbish home – if you don’t, you could be fined £75!”