A YEAR after being declared the dirtiest town in Wicklow, Bray is now officially the cleanest town in Ireland. Just last January the town came in 53rd place and was called 'seriously littered,' in the Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) report. Town Clerk Christine Flood, Cathaoirleach John Ryan and Litter Task Force member Triona Irving were among a group presented with a special plaque by LBAL chairman Dr. Tom Kavanagh at a ceremony in Dublin on Monday morning.

'Bray has done exceptionally well,' said Dr. Cavanagh. 'The overall presentation of the Main Street speaks volumes – clearly big efforts are being made to encourage people to "shop local" and a very attractive environment has been provided. The area was spotless,' he said. 'The Promenade was immaculate – it wasn't just clear of litter but in impeccable condition.'

FULL STORY PAGE 9 A YEAR AFTER being declared the dirtiest town in Wicklow, Bray is now officially the cleanest town in Ireland.

Just last January the town came in 53rd place and was called 'seriously littered', in the Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) report.

The town rose to 16th place in IBAL's first-round results for 2009 back in June and is now the best in the state.

Town Clerk Christine Flood, Cathaoirleach John Ryan and Litter Task Force member Triona Irving were among a group presented with a special plaque at a ceremony in Dublin on Monday morning. Dr. Tom Cavanagh, chairman of IBAL, made the presentation. 'Bray has done exceptionally well,' said Dr. Cavanagh.

'The overall presentation of the Main Street speaks volumes – clearly big efforts are being made to encourage people to "Shop Local" and a very attractive environment has been provided.'

He added that paving, bins, planting and so on were all in excellent condition. 'The area was spotless,' he said. 'The Promenade was immaculate – it wasn't just clear of litter but in impeccable condition.'

Cllr. David Grant welcomed the news that Bray had reached the top of the IBAL ranking and remarked that the announcement is 'a great achievement for all concerned'.

'Much of the credit goes to the council's own outdoor staff for their continuous hard work and efforts,' he said. 'A lot of credit also goes to the shop local campaign which has been making strides in recent months not only about encouraging people into the town but also about improving the town for those who do shop in it.'

The IBAL Anti Litter League is the largest litter survey conducted in Ireland.

- Mary FOGARTY