More areas across the borough are benefiting from two Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council teams that carry out intensive tidy and clean ups in areas that need them.

As part of a half a million pound investment in more frontline street cleaning services, Make a Difference teams focus on areas where more targeted work is needed to create spaces people can feel proud of. 

Across the borough, the council’s day-to-day teams carry out grass cutting, litter picking, planting, leaf clearance, street sweeping and removing fly-tipping and graffiti. 

But where areas need extra care and attention, the Make a Difference teams have been set up to tackle overgrown green spaces as well as deep cleaning paths and community areas.

Recent projects have been completed in Brookvale, Buckskin, Eastrop, Kings Furlong, Kempshott, Oakridge and Winklebury. Work has included chopping back overgrown greenery, tidying up planted areas, improving sightlines, removing moss and weeds, extra litter picking, jet washing and reinstating path edges.

Next, they will move on to areas of Tadley, Kempshott and Buckskin where they will work with local ward councillors to identify the key areas to focus on. 

The Make a Difference teams deliver improvements that also support the council’s street cleansing and grounds maintenance teams to carry out their day-to-day work more efficiently, for example, making areas easier to maintain. 

Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services and Housing Cllr Laura James said: “Keeping our communities clean and tidy is our priority and throughout the year our street cleansing and grounds maintenance teams ensure that the streets are swept, the grass is cut and litter is removed. This day-to-day delivery of work is vital.

“But there are times when extra focus and time is needed and we’re absolutely determined to bring these areas up to the highest possible standard and to create welcoming spaces that our communities can feel proud of.

"I’d like to say a huge thank you to the teams for making our vision a reality, their hard work is making a real difference and the regular, overwhelmingly positive feedback from residents shows just how much it matters.”

To find out more about the work of the council’s grounds maintenance and street cleaning teams visit: https://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/street-care-and-cleaning