Council sets out £4m plans for ‘cleaner and greener’ borough

Caerphilly Council has set out how it plans to create a “cleaner and greener” county borough over the next two years.

It has proposed doubling its spending on work to tidy up public spaces by carrying out more cleaning, road sweeping, and litter picking.

The project was launched last year to improve the “look and feel” of the borough, and could now have its funding increased by 50% in the new budget.

A new council report shows how, if the funding is approved later this month, ward cleaning teams would continue to tour the borough and tackle litter and fly-tipping hotspots.

Each council ward would receive two of these week-long “special cleansing operations” per year.

A special repair crew is also earmarked to continue and will respond to “bespoke requests” made by ward councillors, for works such as fixing fences or railings.

The report also sets out plans for “greater use” of road sweepers, “dedicated teams” to tackle weeds in town centres, and cleaning up of roundabouts.

The appearance of several “gateway” routes to the county borough would be improved, and the borough’s road signs will be cleaned and cleared “routinely”.

The council has set aside £4 million for this work over the next two financial years, beginning in April.

A cross-party scrutiny committee will debate the proposals at a meeting next week.

At a cabinet meeting in January, council leader Cllr Jamie Pritchard said the investment would make “a real big difference to our communities”.

Speaking previously, he said the funding “will result in noticeable improvements and is aimed at restoring pride in our county borough”.

A public consultation on the council’s draft budget proposals closed earlier this week, and the responses will now be considered before the final plans are laid out.

The leaders of the council’s Plaid and independent groups have urged decision-makers to avoid a planned 6.25% increase in council tax bills.

All councillors will vote on the final budget proposals at a meeting scheduled for February 24.