One now ex-councillor in whose ward the rubbish lay suggested Mr Pendle should pick some of it up himself.

He was under the impression he paid his council tax so that others could do that sort of work – but perhaps he was mistaken.

Another asked why Mr Pendle had made the matter public and not simply rung the council himself – it would, seemingly, have been cleared within "two or three days" if he had.

But he feels he is perfectly within his rights for highlighting such a blatant example of where things are not what those in authority would have us believe – and makes no apology for bringing up another one concerning litter, and not a million miles from Castle Road.

The sides of Red Lane around the Smithy Lane junction are similarly strewn with cans and cartons – so he trusts cleansing bosses at Nelson Town Hall who occasionally read this column will take note of this and take action within the said "two or three days".

There are also the 49 members of Pendle Council who stand under the "cleaner, greener, safer" banner – do they ever go out into the countryside they so often boast about and see this dumped detritus for themselves?

The answer, it would appear, to that one is "no" – otherwise the problem would not be anywhere near as bad as it is.


AND so the Government is considering ditching the anti-social behaviour orders which were introduced a decade ago in a bid to improve the lives of people affected by yobbish behaviour on housing estates and in town centres.

Not before time.

Critics have long said that they were a blunt instrument which did not address the underlying problems causing anti-social behaviour.

And there is strong evidence to show that ASBOs simply do not work – latest figures show that 49 per cent of them were breached between 1999 and 2006.

But what is it planning to bring in its place? Something called "acceptable behaviour contracts", which have an even worse breach rate than do ASBOs.

So what should it be doing to curb the nuisance caused by these noxious troublemakers? Is there not a case for placing prolific offenders under round-the-clock surveillance, as happened in Basildon recently, where police "harassed the harassers"?

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith seems to think so – but will provide no extra cash to introduce the scheme.

What a pity – yet another example of how the Government is out of touch with the electorate and small wonder its poll rating is at record low levels.