THE city's tidy town committee has been disbanded but its work fittingly won't go to waste.
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For more than two decades, Paul Ying led a blitz on litter in the city and saw it named NSW's tidiest town in 1999 and Australia's best in 2009.
Mr Ying is moving to Toowoomba to be closer to family and a combination of "ageing and members relocating" saw the successful group wound up.
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Over the years, the group raised more than $14,000 and found a fitting way to return the money to the community.
"He was one of the representatives to be there in 1999 at the tidy town award presentations in Byrock, the smallest town in NSW," Mr Ying said.
"A lot of us were camping and some of us had accommodation at Bourke.
"[Mitchell Brady] was in the camp with me on that occasion."
Mitchell served on the committee as a youngster and Mr Ying said it was very appropriate to donate $200 to each future winner of the encouragement award named in his honour.
"This is very appropriate given Mitchell Brady was a much loved member of the Tamworth regional tidy towns committee before he passed away the very tender age of 16," mayor Col Murray said.
Cr Murray thanked the committee for its tireless volunteer work in the community over the years.
"That committee has an extraordinary record of success under the Keep Australia Beautiful awards," he said.
"We, as a city, are very proud of what you have achieved."