As portfolio holder for the environment at Hertsmere Borough Council I often meet aggrieved residents. Almost without exception the number one concern of these often angry constituents is dirty roads, shabby pavements and overgrown hedgerows. They feel that their local community is being poorly kept, and that the Council is failing to deliver the necessary quality of cleansing and general maintenance required.

All in all, these meetings with constituents are fairly depressing affairs. They recount the fly-tipped fridge left on the street corner and vividly describe a stinking rubbish bag strewn all over the front gate. I'm asked why the shopping parade always seems to be dirty, even though the Council employs daily large mechanical cleaners, mobile cleansing teams and street-sweepers.

How could it be that year in year out, we invest more of taxpayers money into street and community cleansing, and yet year in year out we see falling standards and for the most part, dirtier streets.

I am convinced that the level of general cleanliness and maintenance in our communities is negatively impacted by three quite separate factors. All three issues need to be addressed, if society is ever going to dramatically improve the situation “on the ground” in our communities.

Firstly, the current structure of local governance, which of course is directly responsible for the delivery of overall cleansing and beautification within a community, is quite obviously not working. Currently a cumbersome and overly bureaucratic local governance hierarchy of Parish, District or Borough and County Council (outside of metropolitan areas) attempt to work hand in hand to provide so-called “joined-up” services.

Clearly, as a matter of urgency, we need to ask the question whether so many different organisations, with so many different and quite separate responsibilities, will ever be able work to “hand in hand". Can so many different organisations offer the kind of joined-up service delivery that we all want and desire?

My own opinion is that the current structure is unworkable, quite outdated, and needs radical re-organization. (However, this does not mean I prefer a regional model!).

Secondly, all these different local government bodies are struggling to fund the services that they offer. Quite obviously trying to provide quality services, without reliable and sustainable monies to fund them, will never work in the long run.

Only when funding streams of sufficient levels are secured, and maintained year in year out, will quality improve. In order to maintain, and indeed improve current funding levels, defined areas of priority must be established. In so doing, it is this author's opinion that most, if not all, discretionary services currently funded by the various arms of local government will have to cease. The quicker the State moves towards a clearly defined priority base of service provision, coupled to withdrawing discretionary funding powers, the sooner funding streams for core area provision can and will be guaranteed.

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, issues relating to community cleansing and general appearance cannot be properly addressed unless society actively confronts the very serious problem of anti-social littering.

Over the years communities have become more and more accepting of this most anti-social behaviour. Litter is thrown from car windows and dropped happily on our streets. Fly-tipping has now reached pandemic proportions in the country.

The Keep Britain Tidy campaign has valiantly struggled to fight this expanding problem. However, organisations such as this lack pro-active and dynamic central government support. Indeed, when was the last time a government minister raised this problem on the evening news!

Regrettably society has become indifferent to this problem. We have accepted mediocrity, instead of fighting to deliver a cultural identity, which will not accept this type of anti-social behaviour.

Government must legislate more forcefully against those who break the law. Dropping litter, fly-tipping, fly-posting and other forms of anti-social behaviour must result in significant financial penalties. By empowering Magistrate Courts to deliver meaningful sentences, and requiring Councils to enforce them, the message that littering will not be accepted within society will quickly become commonplace.

The House of Commons needs to address local governance, funding streams and anti-social behaviour as a matter of urgency. If these three issues are taken seriously, this author is convinced that cleanliness and general maintenance of our communities will dramatically improve throughout the country.

Significantly, continuing in the current manner is not a long-term option if our communities are not to deteriorate even further.