Environmental Quality
The city has a co-ordinated approach to keeping the city safer, cleaner and
greener. This has been the case for many years now, including last year,
when Coventry reached the finals of the BCC Clean Britain Award, amongst
the top ten cities in the Country. With several leading initiatives and
the latest technology invested in to help continue this monumental
effort in local environmental quality, 2008 is looking like it could be
one of the best years yet for the city of Coventry.
 This year Coventry is investing in a new ultra low volume spraying system for weed control called Manakar, in the city centre.
Coventry is one of the first cities in the country to use this system, and it is hoped to reduce chemical inputs and labour costs compared
to conventional knapsack and CDA spraying methods. In the paved areas of the city centre, weeds are eradicated by spraying them with
Glyphosate on a clear day with no wind.
 English Landscapes cleaning and greening staff are also encouraged to pull out any weeds
from planters and along hard landscaped areas as part of their general maintenance routines.
In the city centre new posters that pose topical questions have gone up, reducing gum being dropped
on the floor.
A new initiative called Miraclean 1 machine, is being used to tackle environmental stains. The
system works by
 mixing water and a citrus based solution to remove fixed-on chewing gum from the
streets. By using the very latest in environmental and biodegradable substances, the Miraclean 1 turns
the stain into a pliable material, and disintegrates it, allowing the operator to remove any form of
gum in heavy footfall areas.
[back to top]
All the statues in Coventry city centre including the Godiva Statue, Coventry Boy, Thomas White, James Starley, Coventry Cross and Peeping Tom have all undergone a thorough clean with a special low pressure cleaning treatment.
Across the city, maintenance of street furniture, such as litter bins,
is taking place all year round.
 Outside
the Herbert Art Gallery panels have been erected at the gap site to
create a colourful screen next to the main entrance. At the IKEA plaza,
panels have been used to communicate messages to the public about the
environmental campaigns and schemes setup to help promote the city.
Five 'talking' CCTV units have been installed across the city centre
that have security cameras fitted with speakers. They are used
effectively to direct warnings against people acting in nuisance way.
Street furniture around the city, such as lamp posts and junction boxes
have been coated with a special textured anti-fly posting paint, with
the Council implementing new posting policies and licensing acts
[back to top]
 The Council recently agreed to
increase the fine for dog fouling and littering, to £75 (from £50) as a greater deterrent. Animal Welfare
officers patrol park areas on bicycles to help them get around quickly. Animal Welfare officers also educate dog owners about
responsibility in evening classes at Coventry schools, and annually holds ‘Canine Capers’ – a fun event which helps bring the
message to a wider audience and involves the community.
Smoking in public spaces has been banned for over a year, but officers from the Environmental Health team continue to work with
businesses and the public to help educate them to reduce smoke-related litter. Free ‘stubbies’ were given out to the public in the city
centre for their cigarette butts.
 During last year we continued to progress with the ‘Don’t dump it’ project, which enabled Neighbourhood Wardens to report fly
tipping instantly. This has reduced the amount of time fly tipping was left on the street, and reduced the level
of ‘copycat’ fly tipping. The wardens work with the public, and other organisations, to clean up areas that
could be potentially dangerous to the community. A mobile working project, where wardens can post advisory
cards where they find waste in gardens, has also been created. If the cards are not acted upon a
referral is made to the Environmental Crime Unit and a legal notice is issued to make the land owner
remove the waste. Since April this year, 145 notices have been served with three prosecutions, resulting in £600 in fines, and £1,545 in costs.
Coventry City Council takes a strong line against fly tipping and continues its policy to prosecute offenders whenever possible. Since April 2007,
there have been 11 successful prosecutions in court for fly tipping, with fines totaling £3,345 and £2,813 in costs. A formal caution was also
issued for a fly tipping offence, along with a successful prosecution for two trade waste offences.
Work to target waste in gardens has
also been successful. Last year there was 448 notices served (an increase of 53 compared to the previous period) with 11 prosecutions. Fines
totalled £2,500 and with £4,144 awarded in costs. Since April 2007 ‘duty of care’ leaflets have been delivered to 515
businesses. 78 have had received follow-up visits, of which 49 were satisfactory, 20 produced small amounts of waste (and have been
advised to obtain commercial bin bags) and nine businesses were targeted for formal action.
 Whitefriars Housing Group (WHG) takes an active part in the ‘impact’ days with other agencies such as
Coventry City Council, Police, Fire Service, and community groups. WHG was responsible for the removal of graffiti and bulk waste
from Willenhall (twice) and Hillfields. They also spent over £50,000 from an environmental improvement budget on projects across the city
such as the renovation of old play areas, removing and replanting hedges, also replanting shrub beds and turfing areas to reduce anti-social behaviour.
In the New Deal for Communities (NDC) areas there are new grassed areas, benches, litter bins and trees. WHG also have a programme to remove diseased
trees on their property across the city. For example in Almond Tree Avenue, in Bell Green, they removed a dead tree and re-planted two Almond trees.
WHG staff and their contractors use a contact herbicide “round up” on the estates to eradicate weeds, applying it between four and six
times a year. The grass is cut every 10 to 12 days on the estates, and every 8 to 10 days in sheltered housing. An in-house team pressure-washes the bulk bins at
properties across the city, also sweeping areas such as car parks, garage sites, tenant communal areas and rear drying areas.
 Coventry has over 170 locations where people can recycle. The majority of facilities are where residents, especially non-car users, can easily
access them. All Community Recycling centres were located following consultation with the local residents. It was felt that if residents
were involved in the decision-making process, the recycling centres would be used more.
Full recycling centres can also be found at all the
major supermarkets and other larger sites.
 Before new recycling banks
are sited for the community they are coated in anti fly posting paint.
Older previously sited banks have also been repainted in anti vandal
paint to give a uniform look to all recycling banks. Key recycling
centres are sometimes cleaned every day with less busy centres being
cleansed weekly. Crews are sent out to clean any waste that has been
reported as dumped around recycling sites to keep the area clean.
[back to top]
|
