Questions about Adopt an Area

What is Adopt an Area?

Adopt an Area is the latest stage of our Against Litter campaign. Its purpose is to encourage residents and businesses to get more involved by adopting an area. This could be a road, village, green space, shop frontage or area. Adopting an Area would involve a commitment to one or more of the following: encouraging people to take pride in their local area; reporting any problems to us, such as fly tipping, extensive littering or continuous issues of dog fouling. You could also help keep a favourite area clean by getting involved in, or organising, community clear ups.

Isn't the district council responsible for cleaning up the area?

We spend over £1 million keeping our district, covering a total of 303 square miles, clean and tidy. However, we believe that some of that £1 million could be saved and spent on more important community services by encouraging individuals and communities to take a pride in their area. We are not asking you to do our job for us. Instead, we are asking for your support and to be our eyes and ears in your local community. You can help us in a number of ways - by identifying litter, dog fouling and fly tipping hotspots and taking action; encouraging more people to support our campaign; bringing our communities together; and most importantly, protecting our beautiful district.

How can I get involved?

Whether you are an individual or part of a group, you can adopt an area and join us in the fight against litter. To sign up to the scheme and receive an Adopt an Area pack, which contains tips on how to plan a clean-up activity and details of how we can support you, complete the sign up form on the Adopt an Area page.

Can I borrow a litter picking kit?

Yes, you can apply to borrow litter picking equipment. As we have a limited number of kits, it is advisable to book these kits in advance. Please email wasteandrecycling@chichester.gov.uk or phone 01243 785166. Our litter picking kits can be collected from our Depot at Westhampnett. You'll need to tell us details of your litter pick such as the time and date of your litter pick, details of the group, the number of litter picking kits you require and the estimated amount of waste to be collected. You will also need to agree a collection point for our waste and recycling team to collect your rubbish bags.

What is included in your litter picking kit?

The kits include: litter picking sticks, high visibility tabards, bags for collecting recycling or waste and hoops to help keep your bags open. We'll even take the waste away for free.

Are there any community litter picks I can join in?

Several parishes and community organisations organise local litter picking events. To find out more visit your local parish council website or local notice boards. There are also several national litter picks which take place throughout the year including: The Great British Spring Clean and The Great British Beach Clean.

Can I recycle any rubbish that I pick up?

We would encourage you to recycle any suitable rubbish and dispose of this material at your local recycling centre. For details of what you can recycle please visit our recycling pages.

Where do I put the rubbish I have picked up?

Please email wasteandrecycling@chichester.gov.uk or phone 01243 785166 to arrange a convenient collection point for your collected and bagged rubbish. We advise that you arrange this in advance of the date of your litter pick.

What do I do if I find fly tipping that I can't move?

If you see someone fly tipping or would like to report an area where fly tipping has taken place, you should make a note of the following: the date, time and place of the occurrence; what the waste looks like and how much there is; a description of any vehicles involved (including the vehicles registration numbers) and a description of any persons involved in the offence. You should then report the incident to the council or the Environment Agency.

Are there any restrictions on what I should pick up?

Please do not pick up dog waste, glass or needles without the appropriate equipment including gloves, litter picker, poop scoopers or poo bags. Also if you come across any hazardous waste contact us immediately on 01243 785166 or at wasteandrecycling@chichester.gov.uk.

How can I publicise our Adopt an Area activities?

To help you promote your event simply download our poster, print it off and put it up. If you wish you can add details of your clean up events and activities. We would also be delighted to promote your Adopt an Area activity on our social media pages. Just email publicrelations@chichester.gov.uk or phone 01243 785166 and if possible send in a photo. For more ideas about how to get people involved take a look at the Adopt an Area pack. To request a copy of the pack, sign up to Adopt an Area and we will either email or post a copy.

Where can I sign up and support the Against Litter campaign?

To sign up to the Against Litter campaign please visit the Against Litter page and complete the Sign up and support the Against Litter campaign form.

Can I receive updates about the Against Litter campaign?

Yes. If you complete the 'Sign up and support the Against Litter' campaign form we will automatically send you updates on our progress and activities.

Are litter picking events covered by insurance?

If you represent a school or an organisation you may already have insurance in place, but please check that this will cover you for a clean-up event. Parish councils may also have insurance policies which will provide cover. For group activities, we recommend that you obtain public liability insurance to cover you for any accidental damage or injury that may occur during the event.

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