COUNCILLORS are to question the frequency of rubbish collections and street cleaning in Pill and Easton-in-Gordano following concerns about rising

COUNCILLORS are to question the frequency of rubbish collections and street cleaning in Pill and Easton-in-Gordano following concerns about rising levels of litter in both villages.Parish councillors are to write to North Somerset refuse bosses to query whether rubbish collection and street cleaning services in the parish have been reduced following complaints about the untidy state of parts of the area.The situation has concerned councillors so much that they are even considered increasing the hours of the village orderly in a bid to tidy up.Easton-in-Gordano Parish Council chairman Gerry Hunt said: "We are very concerned about the rubbish collections and the general state of untidiness in the parish."We realise some of this problem is down to North Somerset Council which is responsible for rubbish collections, but responsibility also has to lie with the local community."Cllr Hunt said councillors believed the problems started following the closure of the civic amenity site in Portishead for nine months last year.He added: "Problem areas include the precinct and the common areas behind some of the blocks of flats where rubbish and mattresses have been dumped."I think that when the tip closed it caused problems and people got out of the habit of taking rubbish to the civic amenity site."We are also concerned at the level of bin emptying in the village as often they are overflowing."Councillors deferred making a decision on increasing the village orderly hours until further discussions with North Somerset Council had taken place.North Somerset Council spokesman Nick Yates said there had been no change in rubbish collections but admitted the street cleaning schedule was being revised.Mr Yates said: "We have had a new contractor for street cleaning and we have looked at the previous schedule and are revising it to try and get a better level of cleaning."The contractors took over on January 1 this year and are still bedding in."If anyone has concerns about the levels of street cleaning they should contact us.