Labour set to launch big clean-up

Free graffiti removal: Part of Operation Freshview

Targeted areas in Lambeth are set to get a clean-up as part of a large operation by Lambeth Council and other organisations.

The scheme, Operation Freshview, will be launched on September 12 and will concentrate on four areas in the borough. The operation aims to improve the environment and appearance of local streets and enhance the quality of life for residents.

The council will also be talking to local residents to find out what their priorities are for improving their area, and this includes working with local community panels and going in to local schools. Among the other organisations working on the project are the police, the Fire Brigade and Transport for London.

Activities will include:

- Free graffiti removal and cutting back problem hedges obstructing the footpath.

- Young offenders going out into the community and doing work such as trimming foliage or painting street furniture.

- An enforcement operation aimed at littering, with £80 fines for persistent offenders.

- Patrols of pest control officers, while environmental health officers and fire-fighters will inspect shops and restaurants to make sure they are safe.

- Working with schools to get children to understand what environmental crime is and the impact it has on their local area.

- A presence from the police and Fire Brigade to give advice on crime prevention and fire safety, as well as hand out free personal alarms and smoke detectors.

The clean-up blitz will start in the Coldharbour area, and will then be extended into Herne Hill, Oval and Vassal, with each area being visited three times over the course of a year. The council will be letting people know about the operation through a leaflet and poster campaign.

Lambeth was recently named as the third-cleanest borough in London, and it is hoped the project will further improve the council’s performance in this. But it is also hoped it will help reduce fear of crime in these areas.

Councillor Lib Peck, Labour Cabinet member for environment and culture, said: “This project is about targeting the most run down areas in Lambeth to make a real improvement to the quality of life for local people.

“One of the priorities of the new administration is tackling inequality; we believe everybody has the right to live somewhere they can be proud of, and Freshview should help make this a reality.”

Councillor Mark Bennett, Labour Cabinet member for community safety, said: “We know from talking to residents that improving the way an area looks can have a positive impact on fear of crime.

“This is why it is so important that we work closely with the police and other organisations so that we can make Lambeth feel safer for the people who live here.”

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