The council list of the worst litter "grot spots" in Bradford will do little to alleviate the image problem that some people on the outside perceive the city to have.

How we change these negative perceptions has been one of the big issues, and it has been the mission of many organisations and individuals to present Bradford as a successful, multi-racial community with a lot to offer and much potential for the future.

There is, however, more to a city's image than race relations, and Bradford needs to present the best possible face to the people who visit us.

One of Bradford's major image problems is the state of the streets and roads that line the main thoroughfares into and out of the city centre, and we undoubtedly have a big problem with litter.

The council has already put a great deal of effort into tidying up the city centre itself, but now the problem of the outskirts of the central areas needs to be addressed.

The problem should not, however, be seen as one that it is solely the council's duty to worry about. We all need to take responsibility for our city if Bradford is going to win the Capital of Culture title in 2008.

We all need to have pride in Bradford, and need to ensure that the city and its communities look their best at all times. Pride is something that begins at the most grass-roots level, and it is to our own streets and roads that we should look to set the ball rolling.

Once we are happy and proud in our own surroundings, we can then expect outsiders to feel the same way.