Key performance indicators

The surveys carried out to measure these performance indicators (PI's) are conducted three times a year and performance is only reported during quarters 2 to 4. 

This indicator tells us how effective our street cleansing services are and gives us a basis to review our methods and coverage so we can improve the cleanliness of Pendle.

The cleanliness of an area is assessed via surveys we carry out locally every four months. Surveyors use seven grades (A, B+, B, B-, C, C- and D), which is based on the code of practice on litter and refuse and the Keep Britain Tidy Local Environmental Quality Surveys system grading guidance.  An 'A' grading indicates no litter is present.  Any grading at 'B-' or below is classed as being below an acceptable level. 

There is no statutory definition of litter. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 (s.87) states that litter is 'anything that is dropped, thrown, left or deposited that causes defacement, in a public place'.  This accords with the popular interpretation that 'litter is waste in the wrong place'.

Keeping our streets clean has been identified as one of the biggest priorities for our residents for a number of years now and this is why we continue to measure the levels of litter.

This is a former statutory indicator linked to the government's 'Cleaner Safer Greener Communities' campaign and provides us with valuable information to assess how clean our streets are.