Working together to keep Ilfracombe a tidy town

‘Help us to keep your town clean’ is the message street wardens will be giving residents in Ilfracombe over the coming weeks.

Starting on Thursday 21 April, representatives from North Devon Council, Transform and Ilfracombe Town Council will be taking to the streets of Ilfracombe every Thursday evening for the next few weeks. They will be reminding residents of the need to only put refuse out on their collection day and ideally to cover their bags with a blanket, sheet or something similar.

This follows the ongoing battle against seagulls in the area attacking rubbish bags and scattering rubbish over the streets.

Service Manager for Refuse and Recycling, Rex Bassett says: "Over the past few months we have been talking to residents in the worst affected areas discussing ways to stop seagulls attacking bags and causing litter to cascade through the town. We will now be continuing that work with our partners talking to as many residents as we can. Ultimately we are asking people to help us to keep Ilfracombe a clean and tidy town".

Following a highly successful pilot project, assisted by the Ilfracombe Street Reps, Transform introduced GullGards which are designed to help protect rubbish from sea gulls, and are available to homes without wheelie bin facilities.

The product is made up of a smart, stainless steel tube that is fixed to an outside wall. It contains a strong, retractable nylon bag which can help protect up to three bags of waste.

Transform Neighbourhood Management Manager Gary Smith says: "Everybody knows what a menace seagulls are in Ilfracombe and this product is another way we can help tackle the problem. This has been a great example of the community piloting a project which has now been adopted by North Devon Council".

"By offering them at a discounted rate of £12.50 each, hopefully people will consider them an affordable way to help protect their rubbish. For more information contact Transform on 01271 867131".

Ilfracombe Centre Manager, Andrea Beacham says: "Cleanliness of the town continues to be a priority for the town council and residents alike. Ilfracombe Town Council works closely with North Devon Council and the Street Reps, having regular action meetings to ensure a targeted and efficient service. We support the district council's street cleaning service with our own full time Hygiene Operative and our Town Warden who is keen to raise awareness of how residents can help especially in areas where litter is a problem due to seagull attacks on bin bags."

Last summer, council staff and councillors visited homes in Ilfracombe talking to residents about steps they can take to keep pavements clear and streets clean. This included highlighting the recent GullGard project and simply covering rubbish bags with blankets.