National first for 'green' Oxton
With more than 90% of businesses in the area earning a Tidy Business Award, Oxton has proudly laid claim to the title of Britain’s first ‘Tidy Business Village’.
The Tidy Business Award scheme has been run by the Keep Britain Tidy campaign for the last 15 years. It is co-ordinated locally by officers from Wirral Council’s waste and recycling team, whose commitment to the scheme means Wirral is frequently held up as a beacon of good practice for other areas thinking about signing up to the Tidy Business Awards.
Receiving a Tidy Business Award means that the proprietors have committed to minimising waste, promoting recycling and making practical efforts to improve the local environment. This includes ensuring they store and dispose of their waste responsibly and take ownership of their shop frontages to help keep them free of litter and graffiti.
On Saturday December 5th, the Oxton Society – on behalf of the 45 businesses in the village who have achieved the award – will receive the Tidy Business Village accolade from Keep Britain Tidy. This will be immediately preceded by the switch-on of Oxton Village’s Christmas lights. Reporters and photographers are invited to attend. The event begins at 2.30pm with the presentation expected around 4pm.
Cllr. Gill Gardiner, Wirral Council Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “This is a remarkable achievement for Oxton Village and for the Council’s Tidy Business scheme. I would like to congratulate all the businesses and I hope their example encourages many more businesses in other parts of the borough to sign up to the scheme.
“We have Britain’s first Tidy Business Village – there is no reason why we can’t have the second and third too!”
She added: “Building working relations with the commercial sector as well as with schools and other parts of the community is a vital element in our efforts to make our town centres cleaner, safer and greener.”
Sam Coe from Keep Britain Tidy said: "It is tremendous that the Council, businesses and community in Oxton have taken the issue of their local environment so seriously. Oxton leads the way nationwide in getting so many businesses in the village to achieve a Tidy Business Award.
"We believe that everyone has a role to play in minimising litter and keeping streets clean. Oxton lays claim to being the first Tidy Business Village and should feel very proud."
