TRAFFORD has appointed a new community recycling officer to spearhead its efforts to get residents to recycle more of their rubbish.

Julie-Ann Thompson took up the job earlier this month after arriving from Essex.

While in the south she worked as part of the county's Rethink Rubbish taskforce, which worked towards increasing awareness of recycling and composting facilities and raising recycling rates by 10 per cent.

Now council chiefs are hoping she will help Trafford to similar success.

Trafford's waste manager, Glenn Stuart, said Julie-Ann's appointment is a key part of the council's efforts to encourage people to become more environmentally friendly, and think about how and where they dispose of rubbish.

He said: "Julie-Ann will be working closely with local people and one of her key tasks is to set up 50 new recycling centres across the borough. This closer working relationship will also feature in her efforts to encourage local community groups to adopt a recycling centre, promote its use and make sure it remains neat and tidy.

"Part of her work will be speaking directly to local groups, schools and attending public meetings to discuss recycling and composting generally. By doing this and getting people to realise the key role each and every one of us has to play in increasing recycling and becoming a greener borough, we should be able to achieve our aims and at the same time meet Government targets."

Julie-Ann said she was looking forward to meeting residents and finding out ways that she could help make recycling and composting easier and more convenient for them.

"It is obvious that the best way to get people to recycle more of their waste is to find out how they would prefer to do this and where possible help their wishes become reality. With our aim of setting up a further 50 new recycling centres and encouraging communities to play a more active part in maintaining these, I think we will be able to achieve this," she said.

Anyone wanting to discuss any recycling issues with Julie-Ann can telephone her on 912 4913.