Green campaigners rubbish the new plans

Green campaigners have slammed the council over plans to get rid of street cleaners and cut road sweeping in an attempt to cut costs.

Brent Council needs to slash �4.5million from street cleaning over the next three years, a move the Green Party says will make Brent the “dirtiest” Olympic borough.

The proposals will see road-sweeping cut for the second time this year, down to once a week in residential areas, an end to weekend afternoon street cleaning and a reduction of services in the places worst affected by rubbish, such high streets.

Martin Francis, of Brent Green Party, said: “After these cuts, Brent will be London’s dirtiest Olympic borough.

“Autumn leaves are beautiful and fun when they first fall, but as they rot on pavements, soon become unpleasant and slippery.”

A town hall report earmarks �107,000 for redundancies but when questioned by the Times, Veolia Environmental Services would not confirm how many jobs would be lost.

A spokesman said: “We are currently working closely with the London Borough of Brent to help it deliver financial savings through service changes. As part of this ongoing exercise we are being as flexible as possible including considering the possibility of job relocation within our central London contracts.”

The plans will come into effect in October, with fortnightly rubbish collections.

Cllr Jim Moher, lead member for highways and transportation, said: “It’s easy for the Green Party to heckle from the sidelines about budgets they will never have to worry about.

“The truth is, that the government has hammered local services leaving councils to take the blame when frontline services have to be reorganised.

“This proposal is the best we can do under the current circumstances and we have focused resources on residential areas.”