A number of key agencies will come together in June 2008 as they join their efforts to crack down on environmental crimes and fly-tipping in and around the Bangor area.

The joint working aims to raise awareness about how members of the public can safely dispose of waste, and to urge local residents and businesses to come together to say "no thanks" to fly-tipping and illegal dumping in their city.

As part of the Bangor Total Focus campaign, which will be held in early June and led by Environment Agency Wales, a number of partners will be taking part with the aim of eradicating fly-tipping in the area, including Gwynedd Council, Bangor City Council, Keep Wales Tidy, North Wales Police, North Wales Fire Service and Bangor University.

The week-long Bangor Total Focus campaign aims to reverse the unacceptable behaviour of a minority who illegally dump or fly-tip in and around the Bangor area. The week of activities will tackle this problem at source and encourage Bangor residents and local businesses to take pride in their community.

The Environment Agency's Sian Williams, Environment Manager for Gwynedd, said:

''We are delighted to be leading the Total Focus campaign in Bangor through Pride In Our Communities, a Wales-wide campaign aimed at tackling fly-tipping.  We will be using the Total Focus campaign to raise awareness of waste issues throughout Bangor, and through working with the other organisations involved, we aim to improve the local environment of Bangor.

"We will be using the campaign to spread the message that it is not acceptable to store waste inappropriately, dispose of waste illegally or to carry waste without a waste carriers licence. We will also be ensuring that businesses are compliant with the legislation with regards to their waste disposal.''

Gwyn Morris Jones, Gwynedd Council's Head of Highways and Municipal Services added:

"Gwynedd Council is committed to working with our partners and the local community to ensure that our streets and open spaces are kept clean and tidy. As part of the Council's "A Quality Environment" project we have already been working closely with a number of our partners in this field, and this Bangor campaign will build on the good work which has already been achieved.

"It will take a real "Team Bangor" effort, a lot of goodwill and support if we are to achieve our aim, and I urge local people and businesses to support the campaign as we work to take pride in our community."

Officers from Gwynedd Council's Highways and Municipal Service will be actively involved throughout the campaign, as will one of the Arfon Area Community Gangs, who will be helping with various clean-up operations.

North Wales Police are also supporting and taking part in a Total Focus on Bangor, as Inspector Nigel Harrison explained

"North Wales Police are happy to support this campaign as we believe that the environment we live and work in has a significant effect on crime levels and also on the fear of crime. We look forward to working with our partners and the wider community to make Bangor a safer place to live, work and visit."

Incoming Bangor City Mayor, Councillor John Wynn Jones, welcomed the partnership approach.

"This is the first decisive step in a longer term local campaign aimed to stimulate a new sense of civic pride in Bangor," said Cllr John Wynn Jones.

"The City Council will be contributing to the campaign by clearing fly-tipped waste from City Council owned land and from local public footpaths. The City Council's Offices in Bangor are also likely to be used as temporary base camp for the campaign's organisers," he added.

Keep Wales Tidy are also taking part in the campaign, as the organisation's North Wales Community Project Manager, Gruff Jones explained:

"Keep Wales Tidy are the lead organisation in the Welsh Assembly Government funded Tidy Towns Initiative and we are pleased to be able to support the Total Focus Campaign, by working in partnership with local volunteers, to undertake a clean-up of the Afon Cegin in Maesgeirchen, Bangor. Keep Wales Tidy believes that community participation is key to tackling local litter and waste issues."

North Wales Fire Service Officers are also actively involved in a Total Focus as they are keen to tackle fly-tipping by making everyone aware of the potentially lethal consequences of carelessly discarding flammable waste materials.

Bangor University will support the Total Focus campaign by raising awareness throughout its student community.

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Journalists and photographers are invited to attend the launch of the Total Focus Bangor campaign. Senior representatives of the partnership organisations will be present at Bangor Town Clock, High Street at 10:30a.m. on Monday 9 June 2008.