A two-week deep clean of Colchester town centre will start tonight (Wednesday 25 July), under Colchester Borough Council’s commitment to ensuring it is an attractive place to visit.
Specialist contractors have been commissioned to carry out the work, which will be undertaken between 6pm and 6am over ten nights from today until the morning of Wednesday 8 August.
The council’s zones team have been working hard to keep the town centre clean, but their efforts have been hampered due to the breakdown of a number of their cleaning vehicles, and the severe weather conditions which is increasing the problems. Similar problems are being experienced in many other towns and cities so hiring in extra help or machines has taken much longer than the council would have liked.
An additional Hot Jet Washer has also been hired by the council while its machine is being fixed and that will be in operation in the town centre from this Friday (26 July).
Earlier this month the council committed to invest around £750,000 to further enhance work to keep the town centre clean and promote the town’s heritage and attractions as part of its two-year action plan to help deliver the aims and objectives of the council’s overarching strategic plan.
However, on top of this commitment and the announcement of the deep clean, the council is also calling on visitors to the town centre to play their part in keeping it clean including throwing rubbish, gum and extinguished cigarette butts in the bin not on the paths.
Cllr Martin Goss, Colchester Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Waste, Sustainability and Infrastructure, said: “Like everyone who visits our town centre I want to see it looking as clean and inviting as possible.
“We have faced a perfect storm of challenges recently in delivering on this commitment and I accept our standards have slipped. However, I want to reassure everyone that we have been working hard to ensure we have the necessary equipment to help get the town centre back to its shining best.
“Our zones teams work hard to try and keep the town and the whole borough clean, but I would also urge all of our residents and visitors to play their part as well.
“If people took their rubbish home with them or used the bins, and didn’t use bushes or walls for toilets for example, we would not have to continually find money from our stretched budget that could be used to support other vital services the council provides.
“I am proud to live in Colchester, and I want everyone to feel the same. The deep clean we are carrying out from tonight will help towards that, but going forward we all have a part to play in keeping our town centre clean.”
On top of the deep clean the council is also seeking to:
- increase the number of people working in the Zones team to support street cleaning teams across the borough;
- extend the vigorous daily and weekly cleansing routine across a new 7-day work schedule from September;
- Launch a 'Tidy Town' campaign with local businesses to encourage town centre shops, restaurants and cafes to help keep their shop front premises attractive and litter free;
- Increase litter patrols through an enhanced enforcement campaign, to educate but also to fine offenders particularly of chewing gum and cigarette butt littering;
Residents and visitors to Colchester are encouraged to report and request a clean-up of instances of littering, graffiti, fly-tipping and more via the council's website athttps://www.colchester.gov.uk/zones
Page last reviewed: 25 July 2018