FUNDING has been secured to clean up chewing gum from town centre streets.

BCP Council has been awarded £27,500 from the Chewing Gum Task Force, administered by Keep Britain Tidy.

The funds will be used to purchase specialist equipment needed to take on the gum.

This equipment will be used across Bournemouth later this year, including in the Square, Old Christchurch Road, Commercial Road, Westover Road and the Triangle.

After these areas have been cleaned, the equipment will be used across the conurbation and made available for Business Improvement Districts and town and parish councils.

Councillor Andy Hadley, portfolio holder for climate response, environment and energy, said: “As part of our ongoing commitment to improve Bournemouth town centre, we have received this additional funding to kick-start our chewing gum removal programme.

“Local businesses and residents have told us they want the council to remove unsightly chewing gum litter, so it is great we can now do something about it by utilising this grant.

“The Bournemouth Town Centre Partnership Action Group is making good progress in delivering action.

“Our amazing partners in the town centre are bringing forward new initiatives, and so I’m pleased BCP Council can now offer this new service, which will target the areas that need it most.

“BCP Council is delighted to be working alongside Keep Britain Tidy to improve Bournemouth town centre.

“Removing chewing gum isn’t easy and requires specialist equipment, but this new process does not require the use of chemicals.

“However, we ask residents to help by discarding their chewing gum in the bin, rather than discarding it on our streets.”

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, said: “Chewing gum litter is highly visible on our high streets and is both difficult and expensive to clean up, so the support for councils provided by the Chewing Gum Task Force and the gum manufacturers is very welcome.

“However, once the gum has been cleaned up, it is vital to remind the public that when it comes to litter, whether it’s gum or anything else, there is only one place it should be – in the bin – and that is why the behaviour change element of the task force’s work is so important.”