Improving quality

Enjoying total co-operation from David Williams, head of environment and health division, and his very capable officers, in addition to the important routine work, many urgent, diverse and complicated matters have been addressed. These have been as varied as dealing with local air quality management areas, contaminated land strategy, safety at work, pollution, pest control, food and safety, where all matters have been dealt with firmness, coupled with tact and diplomacy.

In addition to these matters have been Agenda 21, Biodiversity - where we have endeavoured through education, particularly with school children, to increase awareness of the part we can play in improving the quality of life for all. Remember voles were once a common sight along our riverbanks? Now an endangered species facing habitat loss and predators, Bromsgrove is one of the few areas where they flourish.

Waste and litter merit continual action; in-depth discussions to provide a countrywide solution are underway and could bring a fundamental change, progress needs to be accelerated. All electrical equipment (in addition to fridges) to include cookers, radios, personal computers, phones and hairdryers will have to be recycled under new legislation passed by the European Parliament.

The challenge with litter louts, suggest that if education begins in the home it is quite clear from the discarded rubbish that some parents are setting no example and tightening up legislation may be required.

The dog fouling campaign is a splendid example that co-operation rather than confrontation can produce some pleasing results, but there is no room for complacency.

I am grateful to you all for your co-operation, without which none of this is possible (a recent letter from Peter Hughes clearly illustrates this point).

Cllr John Tidmarsh,

Bromsgrove District Council