A WINCHESTER volunteer has urged civic chiefs to do more in the fight against litter.

David Jones, of Abbotts Barton, is chairman of the Winchester Litter Pickers, a voluntary body established in the mid 1990s.

Mr Jones has now identified “problem” areas within the city, as well as those that simply have a “dearth” of bins, and has presented the list to civic chiefs.

At the Winchester Town Forum on Wednesday (June 12), he told councillors: “Litter bins do not eliminate litter but, at the very least, the fact that they fill up suggests people use them.”

Mr Jones and his organisation came in for praise from the forum’s new chairman, Cllr Robert Hutchison.

He said: “It is amazing work that you do. I live in Oram’s Arbour and your sorties make a real difference.”

But Cllr Ian Tait suggested a shift in the mindset of Wintonians might be the key to the city’s litter problems.

“If we do not agree with dropping litter, maybe we should be more authoritative about this. You do not get people dropping litter in Singapore because they get fined,” he said.

Mr Jones agreed in principle. “I personally think enforcement would make a difference. If people were aware that it was being enforced, there would be some big changes,” he said.