Southend Conservative Councillors have taken part in a beach clean last Saturday for World Oceans Day.
Although the weather took a turn for the worse, with high winds and rain, this did not stop Cllrs Folkard and Habermel of Chalkwell Ward getting stuck in to help protect our sea from litter, and keep our beaches clean.
Southend Conservative Councillor for Chalkwell Ward, Nigel Folkard said,
"We are proud in Chalkwell to have some of the best beaches in the country. But to keep them this way we need to get stuck in to collect the litter so our excellent beaches can be enjoyed by everyone."
Cllr Stephen Habermel said,
"Across the country there is a debate about plastics in our seas and many of us are reducing the amount of single use plastics. However, there is still a minority of people who irresponsibly litter our beaches and seas. This is why beach cleans like this are so important, they stop single use plastics getting into our seas and therefore save our precious natural environment.”
Cllr Alex Bright, Shadow Cabinet Member for the Environment said,
"Pollution in our rivers and oceans is a major issue and one that the Conservative Government has been addressing, such as introducing a ban on microbeads, plastic straws, stirrers, and cotton buds for example. World Oceans Day is a great opportunity to highlight just how important the marine environment is and the impact that we are having on the planet.
"It's encouraging to see so many community groups across Southend-on-Sea coming together to do their bit in keeping our award winning beaches and the River Thames clean. However, more work needs to be done and Southend Borough Council must take the lead on this. The Conservatives will continue to push the case in Council for initiatives that will ultimately lead to a better environment in Southend.”
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