Wandsworth Council plans £767,000 street cleaning boost

Wandsworth Council is planning a significant annual investment of £767,000 to enhance street cleaning across the borough. The proposed initiatives aim to improve the appearance and cleanliness of local streets through a multi-faceted approach.

Enhanced Cleaning Measures

The council intends to increase the frequency of street sweeping on some of the borough's busiest roads, moving from twice a week to daily. Additionally, two new jet washing vehicles are set to be deployed, undertaking a five-day washing programme each year. The plans also include the purchase of fox-proof caddies and investment in AI scanners to reduce contamination in recycling. Stencils will be used to mark areas where fly-tipped waste has been removed, aiming to deter further dumping. A comprehensive strategy targeting the prevention, removal, and enforcement of fly-tipping across Wandsworth is also being developed.

Funding Mechanism and Staffing

To fund these enhanced cleaning efforts, Wandsworth Council plans to reintroduce charges for bulky waste collections. The previous free service, introduced in January 2025, offered households two free collections annually. The council proposes to charge £30 for these collections and reduce the number of daily collection slots from 200 to 100. The projected annual income from these charges is £800,000, which is expected to cover the £767,000 annual cost of the cleaning initiatives, with an additional £110,000 in one-off costs. The council also plans to hire new staff, including a monitoring officer, an enforcement officer, and a waste service director.

Criticism and Council Response

The proposal to scrap free bulky waste collections has faced opposition. Labour Councillor Paul White questioned the necessity of cancelling the popular policy, suggesting it could lead to an increase in fly-tipping. However, Councillor Ethan Brooks, Wandsworth's Cabinet Member for Environment, stated that despite the introduction of free collections, the volume of collected fly-tipped waste had increased by 35 to 65 tonnes per month in 2025. He argued that the council has a responsibility to review services where statistics indicate they have not reduced fly-tipping and that revenue generation routes should be explored.

Next Steps

A final decision on these proposals will be made by Wandsworth's Cabinet on October 12.