Dudley Council is investing nearly £700,000 into its street scene service as it rolls out a new cleaning ‘hit squad’.
The £670,000 cash injection follows a funding boost of £268,000 that was approved in February to support the council’s street cleaning and roadside gully maintenance services.
As part of the new investment, the council will be creating a ‘deep cleaning hit squad’ to work across the borough’s litter hotspots and gateways.
The squad’s five new teams are to be responsible for preserving the following areas: Dudley North, Dudley Central, Brierley Hill, Halesowen and Stourbridge.
Grounds maintenance work will be enhanced through the recruitment of 15 new staff, who will ensure the upkeep of 200 miles of grassed areas, verges, central reservations, traffic islands, public footpaths, parks, open spaces, and council housing network.
According to the council, the street squad funding will also include provision for traffic management to support the removal of fly-tipping on weekends, as well as weeding on central reservations and traffic islands.
Further enhancements include investment in a dedicated weed treatment team and the delivery of extra officers to strengthen fly-tipping enforcement action.
Cllr Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said: ‘I’m delighted our fortitude has paid off and our finances are more stable, and we’re now investing £1 million into cleaning up our neighbourhoods, starting in areas like this, where it will make a real difference.’
He added: ‘More teams are going to be out in neighbourhoods making a visible difference across highways, parks and open spaces, as we make our borough cleaner and tidier while creating jobs for local people.’
Cllr Harley emphasised that the council is determined to tackle fly tipping offenders and ‘will have more resources to track them down and issue a fixed fine or prosecute’.
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Photo: © Oliver Hale.
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