Wakefield MDC

Litter is a costly and persistent blight on the environment. Wakefield Council decided to take a different approach - moving away from the threat of enforcement action to focusing on personal responsibility, positive reinforcement and the ‘feel good factor’. With the help of a contemporary brass band, the council took to the streets of Wakefield to drum up support. By encouraging everyone to ‘STOP THE DROP’ and ‘START A LITTER PICK ME UP’ they created a community of volunteers, demonstrating that working together can make everyone feel better and make Wakefield a nicer place to live, work and visit!

This award is open to a single council or where appropriate a partnership of councils, or a council-owned company. Private sector partners can enter on a council’s behalf, with the permission of the council itself. The communications function is more integral to what councils do than ever. Influencing behaviour – in relation to, for example, recycling, transport or looking out for older neighbours – is increasingly important, as is the need to build trust in the difficult decisions councils have to take in these challenging times. Campaigns can make a significant contribution to achieving these objectives, and this award is designed to showcase councils’ expertise in this area.