Calls for stronger action to tackle drugs litter, graffiti and dog poo

An example of drugs litter elsewhere in the country

A Green Party councillor has hit out at a ‘complacent’ response to calls for stronger action on tackling drugs litter, graffiti and dog poo within the Lewes district.

Speaking this week, Cllr Johnny Denis (Ouse Valley and Ringmer) criticised Lewes district councillors for rejecting four Green Party motions.

The motions had been put forward at a full council meeting on Monday (February 25), but were rejected after opposition from both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Denis said: “[The motions] were all on those core services that people measure their council against.

“How well do they clear up litter? How well do they deal with dog poo? How well do they deal with the lowering of the tone of a neighbourhood because of graffiti and things like drug litter that people just want to know is going to be dealt with properly.

“These motions were put forward because that is what people have been saying to us. We have had a local campaigner, Zoe Nicholson, who has been going really hard on this because she has spoken to a lot of residents across Lewes who have raised these issues.

“All we had last night was the lead member saying ‘we are doing it all’ and we had the opposition lead Sarah Osborne actually saying it was unnecessary to do anything more.