I AM writing in response to Jackie Amey's letter (June 5) suggesting that the litter picking budget should be used to keep the East Point Pavilion toilets open after 5.

I AM writing in response to Jackie Amey's letter (June 5) suggesting that the litter picking budget should be used to keep the East Point Pavilion toilets open after 5.15pm and that community payback workers should then carry out the cleansing team's role.

Litter picking is vital to the district and for over a year now we have been highlighting the street cleaners' important work in The Journal through the Keep Lowestoft Tidy campaign. Their job is wide-ranging and should not be dismissed as trivial.

The team starts work at 4am, cleaning car parks, sea fronts and the town centres. They also pick up dog foul and discarded needles and once their round is complete, spend their afternoons clearing up fly-tipping through out the district.

Then there is the graffiti, chewing gum removal, litter bins and more.

The cleansing department already engages with the community payback scheme and we are well aware of the benefits to the tax payer. We work with them on large litter picking projects on the North Beach, Great Eastern linear footway and other open spaces, not to mention other projects like painting of the car park stairwells.

However, such work is always carried out under the supervision of our experienced team who ensure that those with no expertise can achieve a high standard of work.

Additionally Ms Amey may wish to know that the Royal Plain toilets attached to the East point Pavilion are open until 7.30 each evening and have attendants there until that time.

MIKE DANIELS

Cleansing service manager

Waveney Norse