Thanet comprises of the three coastal towns of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate and a large rural hinterland. It covers approximately 10,322 hectares with 32 kms of coastline, 62,367 households and a population of around 128,100.
Thanets beautiful beaches and coastal location offer a unique setting for businesses, visitors and residents. Seven of
Thanets beaches have received the coveted Blue Flag
award given only to the top beaches in Europe.
With Cleaner Greener as one of the top key priorities for Thanet, the council fully supports the work of Clean Kent campaign and its' aims and objectives.
The Commercial Services section is responsible for street cleansing, waste and recycling and removal of fly tipping. Graffiti removal is co-ordinated by the Community Safety Unit.
Thanet is Beautiful
The campaign, Thanet is Beautiful
, was launched in July 2006 with the aim of ensuring a clean, safe and attractive
environment, making residents proud of Thanet and to ensure the wellbeing of local people and visitors. Residents and
visitors are encouraged to Keep Thanet Beautiful by not dropping litter and clearing up after their dogs.
Voluntary Groups
Thanet District Council works with, and supports, many voluntary groups remove fly tipping and litter. The council arranges for the volunteers to have sufficient litter pickers, gloves, high visibility jackets and bags for their task and arrange collection of the bags at the end of the clean up.
In addition, the council has supported a number of community led Clean Up days mainly in Margate and Cliftonville by providing staff assistance as well as the usual supply of equipment and collection of litter bags.
In Margate and Cliftonville Right Time - Right Place
aims to reduce the amount of litter on the streets of Margate and
Cliftonville by encouraging residents to better manage their domestic waste. A key element of this is the recruitment of
voluntary Resident Environment Advisors who will provide information to residents, especially those new to the area, about
refuse and recycling collection arrangements, report problems using a hotline and to help organize clean up days.
Clean Kent Response Team
The council contributes to the East Kent Clean Kent Neighbourhood Response Team which has cleared unadopted alleys, removed graffiti, cleared of fly-tipped waste and redecorated the outside of 14 prominent public toilets.
Graffiti
Graffiti removal from public land including adopted alleyways is carried out by the council's contractor as well as the Kent Probation Service. Priority is given to the removal of offensive, racist or abusive graffiti.
Refuse collection
Thanet District Council is part way through introducing a wheeled bin service for refuse and recycling collections across the district. This has resulted in an increase in recycling rates in those areas with wheeled bins and helped to keep the streets cleaner with less chance of seagulls attacking refuse and bags splitting on collection. The council intends to extend the wheeled bin service to approximately 40,000 properties by Summer 2008 to help achieve an increase in recycling to 40% by 2011.
Enforcement
In October 2006, Thanet Council's team of Community Wardens were out and about across Thanet warning people not to drop litter and asking them to help keep Thanet beautiful. Ý
Since July 2007 Community Wardens have been issuing £80 Fixed Penalty Notices for littering.
More information can be found on Thanet District Council's website.
