Council pledges to 'deep clean' Hartlepool neighbourhoods in new environmental drive

From left, the eight new additions to the environmental workforce - Patrick Frain, Simon Marshall, Peter Corbett, Kevin Bolton, Barry Collins, Matthew Black, Luke Jones and Kyle Bates pictured with Garry Jones, the Councils Team Leader for Cleansing and Grounds Maintenance, and Councillor Stephen Akers-Belcher.

Eight new recruits taken on by Hartlepool Borough Council to boost its environmental workforce are now in place and working hard to help improve the cleanliness and tidiness of the town

The enlarged environmental team is working its way across the borough, tackling a range of tasks including litter picking, grass cutting, clearing weeds from pavements and cleaning gulleys.

The new recruits are part of additional resources which the recently-appointed chairman of the council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee, Councillor Stephen Akers-Belcher, has pledged to channel into Hartlepool’s neighbourhoods where residents need them.

He said: “We have listened closely to what residents tell us about the issues which matter to them – including litter, weeds and grass cutting.

“This is why, despite the significant reduction in local government grant which the council has suffered in recent years, I made enlarging our environmental workforce one of my very first priorities.

“Our existing environmental team is very dedicated and cares a great deal about the town, but it could only do so much.

“With these extra staff the team is now able to take more time on areas such as grass cutting and carry out ‘deep cleans’ in neighbourhoods, and I am confident that in due course people will start to see a real difference in the appearance and cleanliness of our town.”