RESIDENTS in Portishead are being urged to make a New Year's resolution to help tidy up an unsightly area of the town. Councillor David Jolley is appealing for people to come forward and help with a Spring clean of the West Hill area by the Costcutter sto

RESIDENTS in Portishead are being urged to make a New Year's resolution to help tidy up an unsightly area of the town.Councillor David Jolley is appealing for people to come forward and help with a Spring clean of the West Hill area by the Costcutter store.A site meeting to inspect the run down area has been held between councillors, residents and police and a plan agreed for a mass clean-up of the area.Councillor Jolley said: "Currently I feel the area resembles my mental pictures of communist East Berlin."Walls and the roads and pavements are badly in need of repair and there are rotting window frames, rusty railings, drab, unpainted garage doors and overflowing recycling bins."The area is also plagued with litter with black sacks dumped around the place and lots of unnecessary graffiti."None of this is good for the residents or traders."Cllr Jolley said steps to improve the area had already been made with housing chiefs repairing an unsafe boundary wall around Costcutter.The path to the community hall has also been repaired.North Somerset Council has also agreed to carry out a facelift of the area, clearing graffiti and repainting railings and garage doors.Police have also agreed to hold an environmental action day in the Spring to clean up abandoned and untaxed cars and crackdown on graffiti.Pressure is also being put on North Somerset purse holders to plough cash into improving the run-down community hall.Cllr Jolley added: "I appreciate that there will still be a lot to do but hope by bringing the various parties together, an early start can be made to improve the environment over the coming months."Cllr Jolley said anyone who wanted to volunteer to help clean up the area should contact him on 01275 817110.