Westminster Council's Conservative Group Leader Cllr Paul Swaddle is today calling on Labour-run Westminster Council to tackle falling standards in street cleanliness, through a five-point action plan.
Paul explains,
"For many years, Conservative-run Westminster City Council had a proud record of keeping the streets clean. Over four decades ago, Westminster was among the first local councils in the country to move away from traditional cleansing services by outsourcing to a specialist company, bringing the expertise needed to maintain Westminster’s complex environment to a high standard.
"The Conservative-led council continued to innovate and, in 2019, introduced state-of-the-art refuse collection vehicles. These vehicles, previously diesel-powered, were fitted with brand-new electric engines as part of a commitment to improving air quality.
Unfortunately, my team and I are now receiving regular complaints that Labour-run Westminster is failing to keep streets clean, especially in residential areas such as St. John’s Wood, Bayswater, Little Venice, and Pimlico.
"Local people have noticed a visible decline in rubbish collection, increased fly-tipping, and reduced street cleaning standards."
Westminster Conservatives call on Labour to:
• Restore the previous frequency of street cleaning, especially as the leaves start to fall from the trees this autumn
• Unlock recently locked recycling bins to reduce dumping beside them
• Manage the contract for clothes and small electrical recycling bins to ensure more frequent emptying
• Use smart technology to alert the Council to problems at micro recycling sites
• Tackle fly-tipping more effectively
If any issues are spotted, please report them directly to the Council, online.
If you are disappointed with the response you receive, or if you identify persistent problems that are not being addressed, please contact your local Conservative councillors or action team.
