Skegness Battles High Littering Fines
Residents of the Lincolnshire coast have rallied forces to shield their town's reputation following a high incidence of littering fines. Specifically, fixed penalty notices for littering and public space protection order offences peaked predominantly in Skegness and the East Lindsey district during the period of June 1 to September 21. Surpassing other areas, Skegness bore the brunt of 164 fines, 36 of which were orchestrated on or near the beach.
The Bigger Picture
Second to Skegness was Mablethorpe, with only 28 notices issued during the same period. Although the numbers may present an unsettling reflection of Skegness, avid litter pickers counter that the figures are not disclosing the complete scenario.
Local Leaders Scrutinise
Former town councillor Phil Gaskell, who alongside his partner Judi, has driven the Coastal Access for All initiative for 10 years, stresses there are complex factors involved. Notably, he attributes some responsibility to the limited bin collection during high tourist season.
"It's not the fault of the staff, but in the six weeks holidays the bins just aren't emptied enough. There are other factors at play as well."
Mr Gaskell adds that blowing winds exacerbate the issue, spreading the overflowing rubbish onto the streets. Despite suggesting a student patrol to supervise bin levels and alert teams, his idea didn't resonate with council discussions.
"For young people, I think it would be quite a decent job, helping the community by patrolling the bins and calling up the refuse teams when they get full."
Litter Picking Initiative
In 2010, Coastal Access for All was originally founded to amass volunteers to clear vegetation around beach pathways, particularly the Xsite ramp. It later evolved as the need for litter removal became prominent. Both Phil and Judi Gaskell argue that the state of Skegness beach is misrepresented by the statistics, standing up for their beloved bustling tourist hub.
Countering Perspectives
However, Skegness Scarbrough & Seacroft Councillor Billy Brookes emphasises that the high frequency of fines is indicative of the area's care and respect from authorities.
"I would say that we are the busiest beach in East Lindsey and with that, we also get people who don’t want to look after the resort. I think the fact that there are so many fines being dished out tells me that it is being looked after. People need to know that if they are coming here, they need to look after the beach. This kind of littering will not be tolerated."