RESIDENTS took matters into their own hands on Sunday by cleaning up their neighbourhood streets - after slamming the council for not doing the job properly themselves.

More than 50 residents, organised by the Richings Park Village Action Group, took to the area’s verges and hedges to pick up litter discarded by passing motorists.

The group says it is fed up with the ‘poor’ job being done by South Bucks District Council who fail to clear the roadside litter.

The problem is particularly bad in perimeter roads such as North Park Road and Thorney Lane South.

Ged Weston, 42, leader of the group, of Thorney Lane South, said the issue had grown progressively worse in the last year and up to 20 people were complaining to the council on a regular basis.

The father of two said: “It is in the hedges, on the pavements.

“They only have two people to cover a big area, they have had their budgets reduced and have less people to do it now but we pay our council tax and don’t get a service done properly.”

Between 20 and 30 sacks of rubbish were collected on the day and Dominic Grieve MP also mucked in to help the residents. The sacks were however taken away by the council as a gesture, Mr Weston said.

A spokesperson for the council said: “It is great that residents have got together to help remove anti-social litter from Richings Park. We can provide litter picking equipment in the future if required.

“Biffa on behalf of the council carry out regular litter picking along roads in Richings Park and we are very happy to meet up with residents to discuss any areas of concern. Roads falling below the DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) Code of Practice on litter will be litter picked as soon as practicable. Some roads require Traffic Management to enable litter to be picked safely that can take up to 28 days to arrange. Roads falling below DEFRA standard that do not require Traffic Management will be litter picked with 48 hours of receiving the report.”

“Littering is antisocial and detracts from the attractiveness of our District and we are as passionate about having a litter-free environment as our residents are and would be delighted if the culprits took a more responsible attitude and simply took their litter home. We have placed anti-litter signs up in various locations throughout the district to try to persuade people not to drop litter and encourage those responsible to either take their litter home with them or use the litter bins provided.

Residents wishing to report litter can do so by emailing recycling@southbucks.gov.uk