TAKEAWAY shops should play a bigger role in keeping the town centre clean, senior councillors say.

Mike Lilley, Colchester councillor responsible for safer communities and licensing, said takeaways are using a type of grease which is difficult to clean off the streets.

He also said they are responsible for some of the litter found outside shop fronts.

Speaking during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday night, he said: “We will be looking at the takeaway stores who need to do more to clean up their mess, they should make a contribution to the cleaning up.”

Mr Lilley was speaking in response to a concern raised by resident, Mr Orton, during the ‘have your say’ session.

Mr Orton said: “One of the things that stuck out more than anything was the overall state of the shop fronts.

“Tourists tell their neighbours and we lose our customers.

“We have really got to look at this town, you need to get together a group of people that will inspect this town from a critical point of view.

“The place is dirty, the castle grounds are lovely but that’s it.

“The rest of the town is in bad order.”

He also raised concerns about the lack of cleaning machines, claiming he had not seen a steaming machine in the town centre for some time.

Mr Lilley said two months ago the council organised a clean up which involved businesses in Colchester. He said: “Mcdonald’s and Costa provided volunteers, they picked up 25 bags of rubbish and we picked up 20.

“We can’t police everybody, we rely on the public to stop throwing litter on the ground.”

Tim Young, councillor responsible for business and culture, said he felt Colchester was no dirtier than any other town.

He said: “In terms of tourism there are some issues we should take on board, especially with shop owners, they have a role to play as well.

“If it was so bad, tourists wouldn’t come to Colchester, and I don’t recognise we are any dirtier than other towns.”

Colchester Council does own a hot pressure washer, which its wardens use to clear grease and chewing gum from the town centre.