The Leader of Harlow Council and the Cabinet Member for Environment have pledged to continue their focus on restoring pride in the town with the council planning to spend £6.4m on environment services and projects in 2022 to 2023.
The spend recently agreed as part of the council’s budget includes funding day-to-day services provided by HTS to maintain landscaping across the town and carry out street cleaning. A further £250,000 will support further tree planting over the next 3 years and money will be allocated for improving landscaping and biodiversity around the Town Park Water Gardens.
Since October, Councillor Russell Perrin, the Leader of the Council and Councillor Nicky Purse, Cabinet Member for Environment, have met regularly to discuss landscape maintenance issues across the town and how work can be improved. In addition, Councillor Purse has been carrying landscape audits by inspecting works being carried out by HTS under its winter programme.
The ward-by-ward visits have identified follow-up work that is needed once maintenance programme work has been completed, as well as ensuring that the work carried out meets the expectations of residents and the council.
A new landscape Covid Recovery Support Team has also been rolled out to catch-up on work which was delayed during lockdowns. Work carried out by the team has so far included restoring the Holocaust Memorial Garden, landscape works around Sherwood House and improving landscaping around underpasses. The focus on improving the environment will shortly turn to grass cutting and weeding with this programme due to start at the end of March.
Sustaining and improving the cleanliness of the town with the maintenance and protection of open spaces is one of the ambitions in the council’s new corporate strategy adopted in December.
“To restore pride in our town it all starts with the work that we do and I am determined that we will lead by example.”
Photos of recent landscape work
Councillor Russell Perrin, Leader of Harlow Council, said:
“Landscape maintenance and street cleaning are high profile services and residents should expect to receive value for money from the Council Tax they pay to Harlow Council, this is why we meet regularly and are focussed on continuing to make improvements. We know that our residents want to see the town looked after and well cared for and we are doing what we can to deliver that. To restore pride in our town it all starts with the work that we do and I am determined that we will lead by example.”
Councillor Nicky Purse, Cabinet Member for Environment, said:
“We are working hard to restore pride in our town and as part of our budget for 2022 to 2023 that focus will continue in the year ahead. By working closely with HTS and through the regular walkabouts around the town we are starting to see improvements to the quality of work in maintaining landscapes. However, there is much more work to be done, but we will do whatever it takes to fully restore pride in our wonderful estates and give Harlow the attention and TLC it deserves.”