Could your street benefit from a spring clean? If so, Lancaster City Council wants to hear from you.
Under the council’s Street Pride scheme, special hit squads move in to streets across the district to give them a thorough clean. Services provided include street cleaning, gully emptying, minor highway repairs, weeding and tree pruning.
Launched in 2008, the Council says the scheme has been a great success and nominations are now being sought for the next phase, which aims to involve communities in nominating streets that could benefit from a deep clean and to help look after their area once the council has completed its work.
Residents are asked to contact their ward councillor(s) with suggestions of streets they feel could benefit. These may be known ‘grot-spots’, or places that could do with a general tidy up.
Residents on successful streets will also be asked to sign up to a Street Pride charter, to raise awareness of the responsibilities of both residents and the council in maintaining the district.
Coun Jon Barry, Cabinet member with responsibility for the environment, said: “We should all be taking pride in living in a clean environment. Once the streets are clean, it’s up to all of us to keep them that way!”
• To nominate a street simply contact your ward councillor. A list is available on the website www.lancaster.gov.uk. The deadline for nominations is Friday 26th February 2010.
Hmf! I remember our 'deep clean' day – my wife told me the workers spent half the day standing around having a fag – and guess where the butts went? As for the 'Charter', I'd only sign it if the Council committed to the same standards. If some council bin men weren't so flippin' slapdash on recycling days, we wouldn't have half the rubbish we have on our streets. (Although I'll admit, it doesn't help that people leave their recycling bins on the street in front of their house – they should be asked to put them in their back yards if they have them).