HIT squads of local residents are being invited to tackle graffiti and litter in Oxford.

And if the people provide the power, the city council is offering to provide the materials to do the clean-up work.

It's part of a new scheme - Neighbourhood Environment Action Teams, or Neat - to tackle vandals and litter louts and leave more cash for road signs and bus shelters.

Malcolm Hart, the council's people and places manager, said: "Communities are fed up with seeing litter louts and vandalism. But money is short. We cannot expect the council to follow these people around.

"If people want their area kept up to scratch we will encourage that and support it at no cost to the residents. It is about taking pride in our community."

The scheme, backed by the Tidy Britain Group, provides training, cleaning materials and other equipment such as litter-pickers and brooms.

The council is sending out leaflets to schools, businesses and residents' groups encouraging them to start litter collections, recycling and other environmental initiatives. Mr Hart said: "If there is a saving we will put the money back into the community.

"Obviously, we are going to get some negative reaction to this. But if it takes off we will be able to put our money to better use."

He added: "We are not forcing anybody to do it. We are saying please and we are saying thank you. It is a new approach."

Interest has already been shown in Jericho, Blackbird Leys and Wolvercote.

Molly Florey, chairman of Blackbird Leys parish council, said the scheme could tackle problems such as damaged road signs and vandalised bus shelters.

She said: "If the council has no money to clean up and people want to do the job then it is a good idea. On the other hand, some people might say we pay our taxes so why should we do it?"

Cash shortages mean more than 160 street signs in Oxford are awaiting replacement and the council can only clean individual streets every four weeks.

The Oxford Mail last year reported on four-year-old Danny Cox, of Walton Street, Jericho, who goes out with his parents to pick up litter from local streets and a nearby graveyard.

His mum, Lucinda Leech, said: "It seems a good idea, especially if the council is working with young people to bring the litter problem to their attention.

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