Cash boost for Tidy Towns

Tidy Towns has received funding of £93,000 towards environmental projects across Carmarthenshire.
The council’s Tidy Towns team secured the cash from the Welsh Government’s Local Authority Projects funding 2011-12.
The Welsh Government approved nine out of the 10 local environmental quality improvement projects that were applied for, a result that compares favourably with other local authorities in Wales.
They range from large scale rubbish clearing to an invasive weeds control and removal project to tackle the problem of Japanese Knotweed to environmental school roadshows. The projects will be delivered between now and the end of March 2012.
Tidy Towns project officer Simon Troake worked in partnership with officers from the council’s physical regeneration, housing and street scene departments to develop the applications for submission to Welsh Government.
He said: “I am delighted that Tidy Towns has been awarded this funding so that we can continue to support Carmarthenshire by helping communities to improve the areas in which they live.”
Tidy Towns is a Welsh Government-funded initiative delivered in partnership by Carmarthenshire County Council and Keep Wales Tidy to encourage and support communities to improve the quality of their local environment.
The council’s executive board member for regeneration Councillor Clive Scourfield said: “It is important that people take pride in where they live and Tidy Towns helps communities to achieve this by assisting volunteers to undertake a range of environmental improvement projects with small grants available to cover project costs.
“This funding from the Welsh Government is vital to the ongoing work of Tidy Towns so that we can continue to improve the quality of the local environment for both residents and visitors to Carmarthenshire.”
The projects include:
• Gregory Brothers environmental roadshows to Welsh speaking primary school pupils;
• the removal of Japanese Knotweed in the south-east area hotspot zone and to educate the public on how to recognise Japanese Knotweed and how it should be treated;
• 18 waste amnesties across the county to help reduce waste items that may otherwise be fly-tipped and to educate the public on disposing of waste responsibly and the impacts of fly-tipping on the local environment;
• the removal of fly-tipped waste at Brynamman Lido enhancement project;
• six tyre amnesties to allow tyres to be recycled and not fly-tipped and to remind businesses and householders of their legal disposal responsibilities in relation to tyres;
• the purchase of chewing gum wraps for a Carmarthenshire chewing gum campaign as part of the UK wide 2011 Chewing Gum Action Group and gum litter related events at secondary schools;
• the removal of fly-tipped waste at Llanfihangel ar Arth in Pencader and a new fence to prevent further access to deter fly-tipping;
• enhancement works at Park Hall in Carmarthen where an area of neglected woodland has been subjected to fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour activities. The funding will help improve accessibility by building steps and a path, the removal of overgrowth to increase natural light and restore existing ground to make it usable;
• the removal of fly-tipped waste on a housing estate at Ger y Castell in Kidwelly.