COUNCILLORS are looking to spend nearly £1,300 on buying four new rubbish bins that will help to keep the area looking tidier.

Members of Wellington Town Council agreed to go-ahead with the plan last week after hearing that a local resident had taken it upon herself to encourage people to dispose of litter properly in the Chelston area.

Councillors were told that an environmentally-minded person had become fed-up with the litter at the two bus stops outside Coles Farm on the Wellington Road.

They had started putting out plastic bags for people to use and then added bags to the two bus stops on either side of the road at the Cades Farm development.

And councillors were told that the same person carries out litter-picks along the Wellington Road on regular occasions.

Although the council has appreciated the efforts of the community-minded person, it does believe something more substantial should be put in place rather than relying on plastic bags.

Town clerk Kathryn Hemensley said: “It’s great that there is somewhere for people to put the litter, but plastic bags do look a bit cheap.”

Cllr Mark Lithgow said: “This area is a gateway into Wellington and it is an eyesore to see white bin bags and litter strewn all about.”

It was a view echoed by Cllr Marcus Barr who said that the bags made “the town look cheap.”

Councillors were told, however, if they went ahead with four bins they would need to get agreement from West Buckland Parish Council to install one of the bins at Coles Farm as it lied within its boundary.

Cllr Andy Govier said: “It will look a bit silly having a bin on one side of the road and a white bin bag on the other side.

“I think we should go-ahead and buy all four bins and looked to get a contribution from West Buckland.”

Cllr Janet Lloyd added: “We should write to the lady who put out the bags and thank her for her efforts.”

The council also agreed to carry out a full audit of rubbish bins in the Wellington area to see if more are needed or need repairing.

Details obtained by the town clerk show that to buy and install four rubbish bins would cost £1,295 and a further annual fee of £813 for the bins to be emptied on a regular basis.