Street cleansing

The council is responsible for all street cleansing operations within the borough. This is a large scale operation covering an area of 245 square miles of urban and rural roads and verges. We believe that all people in the borough are entitled to live and work in a safe and clean environment. We are working hard to achieve this and are committed to ensuring that we have a clean and tidy town for all residents and visitors to enjoy.

Schedules ensure litter picking of verges and open spaces is undertaken at least once a week. The standards of cleanliness which must be maintained are contained within the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and Code of Practice for litter and refuse.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is committed to ensuring that we have a clean and tidy town for all residents and visitors to enjoy.

Our teams of road sweepers and litter pickers remove litter and rubbish from 6am, seven days a week throughout the borough, to ensure that high levels of cleanliness are maintained. These are assisted by specialist cleansing teams, mechanical sweepers, graffiti removal teams and response units.

Frequently asked questions

What is fly-tipping and how does the council deal with it?

Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of rubbish. It angers the public, spoils the countryside and is costly to clear up. Details and locations of fly-tips are often reported to us by members of the public. We aim to deal with such reports in a quick and efficient manner, usually within one working day. In some instances, however, we may wish to carry out enforcement and this may result in a short delay.

Do you empty road gulleys?

No this operation is carried out by Hampshire County Council who may be contacted on 0845 603 5638.

How often should my footpath/street be swept?

Kerbed streets are swept between four and six times per year using large tanker road sweepers. Hard surfaced footpaths and precincts are swept between two and four times per year using smaller precinct sweepers.

Who do I contact if there is rubbish in my street?

Please email customer.service@basingstoke.gov.uk or telephone 01256 844844 to report rubbish in your street.

When are leaves normally picked up?

During October to December, we visit areas of heavy leaf fall on a regular basis. Leaves on grass areas are normally mulched in order to return nutrient to the ground and to allow environmentally friendly disposal.

How do I get graffiti removed?

Please phone 01256 844844. We aim to remove graffiti from property the council has responsibility for within three working days. Owners of private property and business premises need to sign a Graffiti Services Disclaimer giving us permission to remove graffiti from their property. Obscene graffiti will be removed within 24 hours regardless of whether or not we have a signed form. For private premises the service will be provided free on three occasions after which we will charge.

Why have filled bin bags been left by the roadside?

Our Estate Cleaners have collected litter in these and have left them for collection later in the day by our Mobile Cleansing Collection Teams. Please phone 01256 844844 if these bags are there for more than 24 hours.

What happens to abandoned shopping trolleys?

If you find a dumped/abandoned shopping trolley you should contact either the supermarket direct of Trolleywise (for those highlighted in bold)

Asda - 01256 375100
Lidl - 0870 444 1234
Iceland, Chineham - 01256 321723
Iceland, Town Centre - 01256 324094
Marks and Spencer - 01256 466466
Morrisons - 01256 333464
Sainsburys, Hatch Warren - 01256 468405
Sainsburys, Tadley - 0118 981 9489
Sainsburys, Town Centre - 01256 354101
Tesco, Chineham - 0845 6779039
Tesco, Town Centre - 0845677 9817

The supermarkets highlighted in bod have the trolleys retrieved by Trolleywise who can be contacted as follows:

Tel: 01633 892362 / Fax 01633 296618 / Email enquires@trolleywise.co.uk

How often are public litter bins emptied?

All bins are emptied at least once a week but frequently used bins are emptied more often, for example town centre bins are emptied throughout the day.

How do I report problems relating to hazardous litter, such as syringes or glass?

Please phone 01256 844844, or email details to customer.service@basingstoke.gov.uk. We make every effort to respond very quickly to such problems.

What should I do if I spot asbestos or other hazardous materials on public open space?

Please DO NOT attempt to move it yourself. Phone 01256 844844 or email customer.service@basingstoke.gov.uk to request urgent removal. We will send trained staff to deal with the problem.

How do I report dog fouling problems?

Please see link to report dog fouling or telephone 01256 844844. The council provides a dog warden service to deal with dog related matters. This includes enforcement of dog fouling laws. Dog mess is now regarded as litter under the Environmental Protection Act so dog mess can be placed in any waste bin.

How can I report a dead animal and will you remove it?

Phone 01256 844844 or email customer.service@basingstoke.gov.uk. Large wild animals, such as deer, fox and badger will be removed from the highway and public open spaces within one working day of receiving a report. Smaller animals, such as rabbits, pigeons or pheasants, will not be removed. Dead domestic pets will be collected, scanned for evidence of micro chipping and kept for 24 hours to allow owners to collect them, should they wish.

I have some bulky household items, will the council collect these?

Yes. There is a charge for removal of items. To arrange collection phone 01256 844844 or email customer.service@basingstoke.gov.uk.

How can I report fly-posting?

Please email customer.service@basingstoke.gov.uk or phone 01256 844844.

What can the public do to help?

You can help us keep your borough tidy by:

• Taking your litter home or placing it in litter bins
• Wrapping up discarded chewing gum and throwing it away
• Not leaving dog’s mess for others - fines may be issued
• Not putting up fly-posters or spraying graffiti messages - it’s untidy and in most cases illegal
• Not fly-tipping discarded items - use the recycling centre
• Not parking where we need to clean
• Disposing of cigarette butts in ashtrays - don’t litter, fines may be issued
• Making sure all rubbish is contained securely in their wheelie bin prior to collection day
  

Report cleansing concerns on 01256 844844 or email details to customer.service@basingstoke.gov.uk