I WRITE in response to the two letters about litter published in last week’s Gazette & Herald.

Wiltshire Council picks up litter and empties bins across the county but, like all councils, has more to do and less money to do it with. To spend the little resources we have on collecting the huge increase in litter dropped by inconsiderate people is unacceptable.

People need to take responsibility for their actions, and I think everyone would agree that it would be much more worthwhile spending the hundreds of thousands we waste on clearing needlessly dropped litter on social workers, children’s services or helping to support older people.

As far as I’m concerned this is a totally avoidable cost, and we simply cannot afford to keep clearing up after people who have no respect for their local community.

We are working with local communities to help them look after their own areas, and we are very keen to expand that to the whole of Wiltshire. A number of town and parish councils have supplemented Wiltshire Council bins with their own and we work with them to ensure the emptying of bins works smoothly.

The key message is that if we all do our bit by not littering our streets and get involved by keeping our communities clean we can make a big difference.

Dropping litter is unacceptable and every pound spent picking it up is a pound wasted.

PHILIP WHITEHEAD

Wiltshire Council cabinet member for highways and transport