Belfast City Council launches new taskforce to deal with city's growing litter problem

Belfast has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons recently - with numerous complaints that the streets aren't exactly paved with gold - but filled with dirt and litter instead.

Last week UTV revealed that over 9 million pounds was spent on street cleaning in the city in the last financial year.

Now the council has been moved to act - with new measures being put in place to try to clean-up Belfast.

Among the moves announced by Belfast city council is new cleansing taskforce - made up of elected members

It is aimed at prioritising litter and street cleaning. Those involved in the taskforce say its time for action.

Councillor Ross McMullan of the Alliance Party says the council must show citizens that it cares about cleaning up the city. "The council cleansing taskforce has to grapple with that question first. We have to to demonstrate that, yes, this is something that we have not got a grip on, and we will get a grip on it."

Much of this work is about making Belfast a more pleasant place to live, work and importantly visit.

Of course education is key - as well as enforcement. But these latest measures appear to be a welcome step in tackling a big problem

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