REGARDING the letter from Cllr Michael Filer ‘It’s rubbish, but its all Dorset’s” (Daily Echo, March 12).

In Dorset we do not tolerate the dumping of rubbish. If it occurs we have it taken away the next day by Purbeck District Council.

On the highways we notify Dorset County Council but health and safety delays their response on busy roads.

We were the first area to start picking up rubbish with volunteers.

I started, about six years ago, Keep Upton Tidy in Upton, and we hold, each year, three litter picks, all done by volunteers from the public, young and older including the Girl Guides.

Also in Upton we have people in their own area picking up litter and reporting dumping if there is any to report.

Our Keep Upton Tidy group is a committee holding a meeting every month. Anyone from the public can attend and they do, with complaints ranging from litter to potholes in the road, etc.

Our minutes are sent to the police and Purbeck District Council.

Since we started Keep Upton Tidy, the area of Upton has become very tidy which was not the case six years ago when, at our first litter picks, we picked up 40 large black bags full of every type of litter and also paint cans, drink cans, cycle frames, radiators, you name it and we had to pick it up.

At our litter pick now, we pick up 20 bags full of the normal litter, cans, paper, etc. We have also received on each litter pick day Keep Britain Tidy bags with their logo in response to our efforts.

Keep Upton Tidy received a Certificate of Excellence 2012 from the chief executive of Southern Water.

I notice also in the Daily Echo now and again others are trying to do as we do but not on a regular basis or by setting up a committee.

I say, keep trying – it’s worth it .

CLLR FRED DRANE, Town, Purbeck and county councillor, Martingale Close, Upton