Purpose

To approve the acceptance and utilisation of the Chewing Gum Task Force grant to purchase equipment to deliver street cleansing activities.

Decision

That the Executive Director (Communities and Neighbourhoods) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods: -

a)       Note, in accordance with the Council’s Financial Procedure Rules, the approval of the utilisation of £0.025m of external grant funding from Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Chewing Gum Task Force set up by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs.

b)       Approve the inclusion of the scheme within the Neighbourhood Services delivery plan 2022/2023.

Alternative options considered

The grant is ring fenced to capital spending on equipment for the removal of gum staining and litter. There are not sufficient Council resources to otherwise purchase this specialist cleaning equipment. To not purchase the equipment would reduce the ability of the councils Streetscene teams to tackle gum staining across the borough’s pathways.