Extra bins, cleaning staff, security and litter picking stations are amongst the measures Thanet council is putting in place this Summer to keep beaches and towns clean and safe.
The extra measures are in addition to security, portaloos and bins that were installed at the start of the Easter season.
The measures are in preparation for the predicted high number of visitors to Thanet over the summer holidays.
They also include an increased presence of Civil Enforcement Officers patrolling on foot, especially in the Kingsgate/Broadstairs area; static signage to direct visitors to some of the beaches which have more space and available parking when needed. One of these says ‘No Parking at Botany Bay’.
Thanet council says the parking team will issue over 100 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) for parking offences on any busy sunny day during the summer.
The Environmental enforcement team has more resources than any previous year with three dedicated officers enforcing around the coast and eight coastal security wardens supporting them.
There are dedicated Enforcement patrol officers tasked with focusing on hotspots along our coast, at peak times of the day. Security patrols will also support Civil Enforcement Officers at roads surrounding hotspot locations, such as Botany Bay.
New coloured flags will also be in place to create clear meeting points visible for lost children and there will be a seven day a week medical presence throughout the summer in Margate. This will be led by NHS/South East Coast Ambulance Service at Margate Main Sands and aims to reduce the volume of people attending Margate’s urgent care/A&E.
On-site staff will manage and treat minor injuries and, where appropriate, make referrals to other parts of Kent depending on where the person is from and the nature of the problem.
Cllr Reece Pugh, Cabinet Member for Economic Development at Thanet District Council, said: “We continue to lead our multi-agency beach management plan and enhance our preparations with extra initiatives as peak summer commences.
“Building on our experience from last year, it’s clear that a joined up approach to manage the large volumes of people heading to our coast is critical. We are working hard with other agencies to ensure the services we provide for residents and visitors along our coastline run smoothly.
“We know that litter left on our beaches will always be the biggest issue for our residents, so it’s great to be able to launch more schemes aimed specifically at encouraging behaviour change amongst people who find it acceptable to leave rubbish on the beach. We want people to do the right thing with their waste and put it in the bins provided.”
The council has also announced that there is a new concessionaire at Westbrook Bay who has been awarded a licence and is open until the end of the season.
Extra measures:
Flags at accesses to the main beaches to draw attention to the litter bins.
300 ‘The bin’s over there’ banners installed across the district, including on the coastline, in a partnership with chewing gum manufacturer, Mars Wrigley.
42 recycling bins in place at all Blue Flag beaches.
10 new litter picking stations which provide people with free recycled plastic bags installed at entrances to several popular beaches.
15 additional dog waste bag dispenser stations with free biodegradable bags for people to pick up after their dogs. This means there will be a total of 65 litter/dog stations across the district.*
Cigarette butt pouches (with the Respect Protect Enjoy logo) available from education@thanet.gov.uk for local food and drink outlets to stock.
Respect Protect Enjoy merchandise (T-shirts, cigarette pouches, high-vis jackets) reinforcing the message to be worn by all coastal and enforcement teams. These are on sale at the Visitor Information Centre in Margate to help fund other community litter initiatives.
Support for the new art installation at Margate Train Station led by community litter picking group, Rise.Up.Clean.Up Margate.
Beach check app UK
The council is the only coastal resort in Kent to sign up to the new Beach Check UK app which enables users to check the status of a beach before they arrive in order to avoid congested bays and to encourage them to discover nearby alternatives that are quieter and less crowded.
Have fun
Visit Thanet has details of a number of events taking place over the summer, including ones on our 16 beaches (5 Blue flags and 5 Seaside awards). More details are available on the Visit Thanet website.
Thanet Coast Project has a series of events throughout the summer to raise awareness and inspire people about protecting marine life and our oceans
