Clean Sweep
by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
08/10/2008
Hundreds of messy and mucky corners of the borough have been swept clean by Hammersmith and Fulham Council over the past year.
Over 240 ongoing problem areas were cleared away following regular tours by councillors in their wards to report unsightly spots on pavements and alleyways. The year-long clean-up included removing rubbish and abandoned fridges from the streets, and jet-blasting graffiti on walls and utilities boxes.
A total of 123 fly-tips and 61 graffiti tags were reported by councillors last year and were then blitzed by the council’s street scene enforcement and graffiti removal teams. There were also calls to get rid of illegal posters, sweep litter from the streets and cut back overgrown trees and plants.
The ward tours were just part of the council’s calls for residents to help make H&F a cleaner, greener borough by reporting unsightly spots. From July 2007 to July 2008 the environment department cleared away 6,800 graffiti tags, 2,122 fly-posters and 9,940 fly-tips. They also handed out 528 litter fines to people who threw rubbish onto the borough’s streets.
One of the innovative measures to stop an ongoing problem with bird mess in W14 was the introduction of Maverick the Hawk. The bird of prey flew up and down Pernham Road, scaring away pigeons that were terrorising residents with their filth ridden fly-bys.
A new batch of councillor walkabouts to identify problem areas has already begun again with College Park and Old Oak in September, along with Ravenscourt Park. The next wards to get the ‘Clean Sweep’ treatment will be Parsons Green and Walham, and Hammersmith Broadway by the end of October.
The Clean Sweep rounds will also be given an extra boost by new-look cleansing vehicles that include a street sweeper and a pavement washing machine.
Cabinet member for residents’ services, Councillor Paul Bristow, said: “Our residents expect clean streets and we want to do everything we can to make Hammersmith & Fulham a cleaner, greener borough. Clean Sweep is just one way that we can make a difference.
“Residents and visitors in the borough also have a responsibility to keep their streets clean and I would urge them have pride in where they live by making sure they put their rubbish out on the correct days or throw their litter in the bin, for example.”
Residents can still report problems such as fly-tipping, littering and graffiti via the cleaner, greener hotline on 020 8753 1100, emailing cleaner.greener@lbhf.gov.uk or online via the Hammersmith & Fulham Council website www.lbhf.gov.uk
The following dates are when the ward Clean Sweep walkabouts will take place:
October 2008 – Hammersmith Broadway, Parsons Green and Walham
November 2008 – North End, Fulham Reach
February 2009 – Avonmore and Brook Green, Palace Riverside
March 2009 – Town, Munster
May 2009 – Fulham Broadway, Sands End
June 2009 – Shepherds Bush Green, Askew
July 2009 – Addison, Wormholt and White City
