After hearing an Okehampton resident’s suggestion for a litter station in Simmons Park, Okehampton Town Council has agreed to approve the idea in principle.

At the most recent council meeting (December 5), the town council heard a suggestion from Plastic Free Okehampton member Fran Rickwood, to install a litter station, with the help of the eco-friendly charity 2 Minute Foundation, in the park as a way of reducing litter and encouraging people to become more environmentally-friendly.

Mrs Rickwood said: ‘The 2 Minute Foundation are a charity which strives to clear the beaches of litter. They have been really beneficial to the amount of litter collected from beaches so they are now looking at going inland.

‘The station costs £400-£600 but I have made a relationship with the 2 Minute Foundation who will sponsor the station so it would not cost us anything and it would be a great way to raise the profile of Okehampton.’

Councillors and Simmons Park park keeper James McGahey discussed the possibility of setting up the station with a suggestion that Okehampton College students get involved in the project in order to encourage them to throw away their rubbish.

Insurance costs also raised some concerns with town clerk Emma James pointing out that the council’s insurance company would need to be notified on whether any volunteer litter pickers would be insured under the council’s insurance policy or that of Plastic Free Okehampton.

It was agreed more research would be done into this area of concern as, under the 2 Minute Foundations scheme, the litter station would be available to any member of the public wishing to help out rather than a team of named litter pickers.