The council’s general manager, Craig Swift-McNair, will write to state MPs Leslie Williams and Melinda Pavey requesting an increase in the level of service provided by Roads and Maritime Services for roadside litter removal on state-owned roads, such as the Oxley Highway from Long Flat to the Port Macquarie CBD.

The correspondence will also request financial assistance for the council to increase roadside litter management on local roads within the local government area.

Mr Swift-McNair will investigate how the council could better manage and/or increase roadside litter management.

The issue came before the council in response to a question from Cr Mike Cusato.

The council’s waste section removes any significantly-sized waste accumulated on the roadside.

A report to the October 18 council meeting said the council’s waste section undertook clean-ups about four times a year on Hastings River Drive, Oxley Highway from the hospital to Gordon Street, Ocean Drive from Kew to Gordon Street, Bago Road, Houston Mitchell Drive, Settlement Point Road and various other roads.

The council has had ongoing discussion with RMS about the Oxley Highway, establishing responsibility for vegetation maintenance and litter collection.

The council report said however, unless a formal agreement was determined, the council would not undertake litter control on state highways.

Council’s Transport and Stormwater Network section deals with waste/litter if it poses a major public risk, such as concrete spills or industrial waste spilt onto a road.

The report said the removal of general litter did not typically pose a serious public risk and the Transport and Stormwater Network section did not have the resources for regular litter collection.