Going for Gold - next steps

Action on Basic Services

• improved street cleaning from 59% to 85% of streets at a satisfactory standard or better. Achieved through extra spending, a radical overhaul of working practices and the introduction of specialist cleaning equipment
  
  
• provided 350 new litter bins on streets and open spaces, more frequent emptying and a new Summer Bins scheme at litter 'hot spots'
  
  
• improved weed clearance regime including increased frequency and better use of environmentally friendly chemicals
  
  
• introduced the Graffiti Dispatch Team and developed wide ranging anti-graffiti strategy including free removal from private property and  use of anti-graffiti protective coatings
  
  
• taken action on abandoned vehicles including our innovative free disposal service for residents which has been praised by government inspectors
  
  
• introduced the Neighbourhood Ranger service for the whole city to forge links with communities, agree local priorities and get jobs done more effectively
  
  
• formed new area based Tidy Teams for better, more locally focussed street and parks services
  
  
• begun the first phase of a new Helpdesk to make it easier for you to get in touch about basic services
  
  
• achieved a better performance on refuse collection and the problem of refuse bins left blocking pavements
  
  
• launched a programme to replace and renovate the city's public toilets after decades of neglect
  
  
• put more resources into the cleaning and maintenance of public toilets
  
  
• worked with staff to create a new culture in the Council emphasising the importance of these key services and valuing the work of those who carry them out day in and day out

Next Steps

The last two years have brought a visible difference in the quality of basic services. In the coming year we will build on this work using existing and additional resources.

The approved 2002/3 budget provides:

• more street sweepers and more litter bins to improve performance still further
  
  
• better cleaning of parks and Parkside Pool
  
  
• creation of a 'hit squad' to steam clean public toilets on a regular basis
  
  
• second phase of public toilet replacements including Gonville Place
  
  
• better maintenance of other public toilets
  
  
• more money to ensure rapid action on the ever growing problem of abandoned vehicles

And there's more:

We will continue to develop links with local residents through the Neighbourhood Rangers and the local Tidy Teams, and to provide better communications through the one-stop Helpdesk.

We will ask residents to help the city achieve even higher standards of street cleanliness by helping to take care of their own 'frontage'.

We will work with the commercial sector to make sure that it is playing its proper role in keeping our streets clean.

We will make further progress towards providing public toilet facilities which the public can feel confident and safe to use.

We will continue to implement imaginative solutions to problems of graffiti, fly-posting and abandoned vehicles.