Working hard to keep the borough clean and tidy

Councillors have been out on Cleaner and Greener walkabouts in Earley and Woodley to identify local fly-tipping, litter and graffiti issues.

Executive member for Environment and Climate Emergency, Cllr Katrin Harding, was joined by local ward councillors, council officers and representatives from the council’s street cleansing contractor.

Walkabouts took place in the Chalfont Park area in Earley earlier this month and in South Lake, Woodley. These walkabouts, which will be repeated in other locations, will help the council identify ways to make the most of its limited resources.

Cllr Harding said: “The council’s Cleaner and Greener team works incredibly hard to looking after our borough, and the walkabouts were really useful in highlighting what is working well, where issues are occurring, and how the council and our contractors can work effectively to take care of our borough. 

“We identified several specific issues which will be followed up through usual reporting channels, and also reflected on how we can address longer-term challenges, such as pavement encroachment.

“These walkabouts, and others that will follow in different parts of the borough, will help us stay closer to the reality of what is happening in our streets and open spaces, and ensure we focus our limited resources in ways and locations that will have the biggest impact.

“It was clear from our visit that the vast majority of people care about their neighbourhoods and take justified pride in them. But sadly, a minority do not – and their actions are both damaging and expensive.

“Fly-tipping, littering and offensive graffiti are not only illegal and antisocial, but also a drain on taxpayers’ money. Very simply, the less they occur, the more money we have for important services.”

In Woodley, representatives from the town council joined the walkabout.

Kevin Murray, Clerk of Woodley Town Council, said: “It was incredibly encouraging to spend time on the ground with officers and councillors, seeing firsthand the areas that matter to our residents. The walkabout provided a valuable opportunity to look closely at issues of litter, fly-tipping and the overall standard of street cleaning and maintenance in the South Lake area of the town.

“By working collaboratively and staying connected to the day-to-day reality of our streets and public spaces, we can address issues before they become a problem and deliver visible improvements that our community can take pride in.”

This year, the council and its contractors have had to deal with more than 1,500 fly-tips, costing about £150,000. In addition, regular street cleaning costs the council approximately £1 million a year.

There is also an opportunity to help keep the borough clean and tidy this weekend (21 and 22 March) at the Annual Litter Pick organised by town and parish councils.

Residents can also help keep their communities tidy by joining the Adopt-a-Street scheme. Volunteers are provided with litter pickers, green Adopt-a-Street bags and high-visibility jackets.

Cllr Harding added: “I’d like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who already volunteers with Adopt-a-Street. We heard during the walkabout that almost every street in Earley has been adopted, and the very low level of litter we observed is testament to their efforts. 

“Both the Annual Litter Pick and Adopt-a-Street are great ways for residents to get involved and help keep their communities looking great. I’ll be out with neighbours over the litter-pick weekend, and I hope many residents will join in.”