Islington innovates to keep borough green and clean

Islington is undergoing a serious spring clean as the council, schools and colleges, and wider community come together this month to tidy up local streets, neighbourhoods, and parks. 

 

The council-led, borough-wide effort was kick-started by ‘The Great British Spring Clean’ weekend campaign, run by Keep Britain Tidy, but goes even further by running for four weeks.

 

Throughout the month of March members of the community are invited to roll-up their sleeves and get involved in some good old-fashioned graft to keep Islington’s town centres, estates, and green spaces looking spick and span, long into the future.

 

Cllr Claudia Webbe, executive member for environment and transport, launched a spring clean and month-long unveiling of innovations with a visit to Nag’s Head shopping centre in Holloway, joining council workers who will be leading the clean-ups.

 

She also met children and teachers from Copenhagen School, near Caledonian Road, who all got stuck in – picking up litter and helping to keep nearby streets spotless.

 

These were the first of a series of borough-wide clean-ups that go hand-in-hand with new approaches to helping Islington shine.

 

Cllr Webbe said: “This is about the community coming together. We all share Islington’s streets and town centres and feel passionately about keeping them clean.

 

“We are committed to improving our environment for the benefit of everyone and hope to see everyone doing their bit for their borough.

 

“New innovations, alongside community spirit and involvement, as well as our dedicated teams, are what’s needed to keep the borough clean and tidy.”

 

As well as the month-long blitz and spritz, cutting-edge new technology is being introduced that will improve long-term efficiency, streamline services, and save money.

 

The innovations run the spectrum from rubbish and recycling collections to street sweeping and quicker responses to reports of fly-tipping and other issues.

   

The council’s ongoing efforts to clean up the borough also include a clampdown on fly-tippers and new ways of driving up recycling rates.

 

This month the Nag’s Head town centre and all others in the borough will be deep-cleaned with specialist teams jet-washing pavements, removing graffiti and chewing gum, washing commercial bins, litter-picking, filling in potholes in the road, clamping down on fly-tipping, dog fouling and drivers who leave their engines idling.

 

Visits will also be made to businesses by environmental health and trading standards teams. Meanwhile, Friends of Parks groups and other volunteers will also help get the borough’s green spaces ready to welcome the warmer weather around the corner.

 

In advance of the clean ups, postcards and posters are being distributed in each town centre.

To find out more and get involved, see http://islingtonlife.london/cleanup/.