There is little doubt that something needs to be done about the appalling state of the Cowley Road, Oxford.

But precisely who should clear up the mess which appears each morning seems to be causing some disagreement.

Business owners say the onus should be on the city council and also say they want the pavements to be brought up to the standard of rival shopping areas in Summertown and Headington.

The city council for its part says it cleans the pavements with a mechanical sweeper every day and regularly empties waste bins.

However, in return, the council, not unreasonably, wants businesses to deal with their trade waste properly and keep reasonable displays on the pavement which do not hinder their cleansing operations.

Significantly, the council said that of the 22 duty-of-care notices issued to businesses in the Cowley Road for failing to do this, 14 had not been complied with.

And there is little doubt that much of the litter results from items bought from businesses sited in the road.

The combination of more effort by individual businesses to keep the area near their premises clean, combined with increased endeavour by the council should lead to a cleaner, more pleasant and more profitable street for everyone.