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Councillors and residents in Caerphilly have been urged to take part in a programme aimed at making the county borough “cleaner and greener”.

The programme forms a central part of this year’s budget investments and includes special cleaning work in all borough wards.

Council leader Jamie Pritchard said it is up to councillors to engage with residents on the areas they want to see targeted, after the Labour-controlled local authority increased the programme’s budget by 50% this year.

Other parties have called on the council to do more to tackle cost-of-living pressures, and use existing resources to combat fly-tippers.

The council described the cleaner and greener programme as a “key emphasis” in this year’s budget, with the initiative made permanent following a successful pilot in 2025.

It includes a special ‘ward cleansing team’ which visits areas upon request by ward members.

Each ward is eligible for two one-week visits this year.

Meanwhile, a community response team will carry out ‘low cost but visually high impact works’ along highways in the borough’s main towns and villages.

Other features of the programme include extra road-sweeping, sign cleaning, and cutting back of vegetation.

In addition to the council’s usual weed sprayings around the borough twice a year, a special weed removal team will carry out extra work in the six major town centres.

Cllr Pritchard said each councillor will be reminded to communicate with their ward residents on areas they wish to see cleaned up.

He added several Labour representatives will be holding events in their wards to ask residents for their suggested areas for improvement. 

Bedwas and Trethomas ward councillors Liz Aldworth, Lisa Phipps, and Jill Winslade will hold an event at BTM council offices on Saturday March 21, from midday to 2pm.

Morgan Jones ward councillors Anne Broughton-Pettit and Shayne Cook will join Cllr Pritchard for a drop-in session at the Virginia Park Youth Centre on Friday March 27, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.

Speaking previously, the council leader said the “major boost” in funding the programme “will result in noticeable improvements and is aimed at restoring pride in our county borough”.

“There is not a single resident that doesn’t want to live in a cleaner, greener community and this proposal goes far above what can be described as routine maintenance,” he added.

Cllr Charlotte Bishop, who leads the council’s Plaid Cymru group, welcomed the programme and said “we should all take pride in where we live”.

“But we also have to be honest about priorities,” she said. “While we’re investing in how our streets look, there are still people in our communities who are struggling to put food on the table.

“Of course, clean streets matter, but so do people. And right now, many would rather have food in their belly than see a street being swept.

“Pride in our community isn’t just about appearances – it’s about making sure no one is left behind.”

Cllr Nigel Dix, the independent group leader in the council chamber, urged residents to come forward with requests for areas to be cleaned, but also argued the local authority should take advantage of its own resources – such as CCTV – to tackle fly-tipping.

“We hear about a lot of stuff being dumped and left around public litter bins,” he said. “This initiative is welcome, but we need to work to deter people so they don’t feel like they can dump rubbish and get away with it.”