Dear Editor,

It’s depressing when walking around Basingstoke to see so many empty shops, particularly on the top floor of Festival Place. But retail closures affect many towns. If there is a solution it is elusive and any intervention by the local authority may have only a small effect.

It’s even more depressing when walking around our town to see so much litter in so many places. For instance, the steps opposite Chute House on Church Street that lead to St John’s Square appear not to have been swept for months. Likewise, the bridge from the bus station to Crown Heights. And the area around the railway station bus stops on Alencon Link is very grubby.

It is equally depressing to travel along country lanes in the borough. On Sunday, cycling along Vyne Road from Sherborne St John to Bramley, the grass verges were littered with drink cans, old masks, food wrappings and bottles that clearly have been there for ages.

The local authority may be able to do little to regenerate retail but they can do something about litter. Yet, make a complaint and the official response usually amounts to a dismissive shrug - ‘People shouldn’t drop litter’. Well, of course they shouldn’t and most don’t. Taking into consideration the huge footfall in Festival Place or the large number of cars using Vyne Road then littering is clearly the work of a minority - but rubbish accumulates if not swept up.

My point is simple. If our elected authorities cannot organise something as straightforward as sweeping around a busy bus stop or collecting litter why should we have any confidence that they can manage more difficult things such as economic growth, housing development, care services, contract management, environmental protection, area planning? Surely these heavy responsibilities are beyond the capacity of people unable to organise street sweeping and litter collections. And people with whom I’ve talked about this agree with me!

For councillors wishing to be held in greater public esteem, here’s my suggestion: get the simple things right and pick up the litter! Show that you really do take Pride in Our Place.

Alan Gwyer

Becket Court

Worting

Basingstoke