Beautiful Thanet

What does this mean?

• Local Environmental Quality: Working with partners to maintain the appearance of streets and public areas across the district and improve public perception.
• Quality Open Spaces: Maintaining our beaches, foreshores, parks and other open spaces to a high standard, whilst encouraging local people to take an active role in preserving the natural environment.
• Waste Reduction: Reducing the amount of waste produced and ensuring that high proportions are reused or recycled.

Why is this important?

• Studies have shown that improving the local environment supports regeneration;

• Clean beaches, parks and streets help attract visitors to the area;

• The council’s street cleansing and waste and recycling services are seen by local people as some of the most important services that the council provides;

• Litter on the streets pulls down the feel of any public space and adversely affects people and their sense of well-being. In the worst cases this can have links with anti-social behaviour, vandalism and violence;

• There is a gap between the level of service provided in relation to street cleaning and local people’s perceptions of street cleanliness;

• The sandy beaches of Thanet are recognised as a fantastic natural asset which requires a high level of care.

What are we going to do?

Key projects

• Deliver the top 10 Environmental Action Projects (Start: Apr 09 - Finish: Mar 11):

1. Welcome signs at entry points to Thanet;
2. Locate red port hand navigation buoy to side of carriageway at upper Ramsgate Port roundabout;
3. Locate 2nd EAP navigation buoy at Margate Station Green roundabout, or other location if first choice not appropriate;
4. Paint Margate Harbour lighthouse (colours to be decided) after appropriate consultation with public;
5. Remove bricked planters in Margate High Street and replace with hanging baskets;
6. Replace kerbside fixed waste bins in prominent locations - starting Ramsgate;
7. Andrews Passage Margate - project with KCC.
8. Margate Old Town Lighting Project;
9. Nayland Rock derelict land improvements for the 2010 summer season;
10. Routine maintenance to street furniture in all towns.

• Improve the public perception of the cleanliness of Thanet by (Start: May 10 - Finish: Mar 11):

1. Adjustments to collection regimes and working practices, together with tougher and more focused enforcement;
2. A targeted campaign to change public attitudes towards littering, dog fouling, graffiti and vandalism.

• Improve waste containment through a variety of means including wheeled bins, seagull proof bags and education reinforced by enforcement activity. (Start: Apr 08 - Finish: Mar 11)
• Develop cost effective works services as a contribution to the East Kent joint waste project, including reengineering the street cleansing service to improve public perceptions. (Start: Apr 08 - Finish: Apr 13)

Key commitments

• The Council is committed to the preservation of Thanet’s beautiful coastline and will continue to support the Thanet Coast Project in managing Thanet’s North East Kent European marine sites.
• The Council is committed to improving the quality and community use of parks and open spaces and will encourage community and voluntary groups to take on the management and improvement of open spaces.

Next Page: Quality Housing

Previous page:  Safe Neighbourhoods

• Foreword
• Thanet's Economy
• Safe Neighbourhoods
• Beautiful Thanet
• Quality Housing
• Healthy Communities
• Modern Council

Corporate Resources Manager

E-mail: sarah.carroll@thanet.gov.uk

Tel: 01843 577188