Some areas ‘missing out’ on council clean-up programme

Nicholas Thomas, Local Democracy Reporter

Some parts of a county borough are missing out on work to clean up public spaces, according to the council’s leader.

Cllr Jamie Pritchard told a Caerphilly Council meeting overall interest in the council’s expanded Cleaning and Greening programme has been high, with 344 requests lodged since April.

The programme is aimed at improving the “look and feel” of the borough, and allows councillors to nominate areas of their wards for services such as removing fly-tipping, clearing up graffiti, and road-sweeping.

“While the overall figure is quite pleasing, I do have to report the number of requests submitted by each ward can differ considerably,” said Cllr Pritchard.

“While certain wards are receiving multiple requests, there are other wards where councillors are not really engaging with the process.

“I’d like to encourage all councillors to submit requests, as this process has been designed to put elected members more in control in their wards.”

The council doubled the budget for the programme this year and includes equal opportunities for cleaning public spaces across the borough.

But the programme also relies on local knowledge of problem areas, based on ward councillors coming forward with requests for other work.

“We have extensively publicised to all the elected members how they can make requests for areas and they want to be improved,” the leader said, adding his thanks to “all members who’ve engaged in the process over the last six months”.

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