Ealing Lib Dems Call for Action on 'Disgraceful' Leaf Build Up

Claiming problem has become worse due to staff reductions

Opposition councillors say that huge piles of leaves are building up across the borough

November 26, 2024

The Liberal Democrats in Ealing borough have set up a petition calling for action on what they describe as the ‘disgraceful’ state of leaf collection.

Opposition councillors say they are getting a regular stream of contacts from residents complaining about unswept streets and pavements. Their constituents are complaining that they need to tread their way carefully on the borough’s streets as they are strewn with uncollected leaves and rubbish.

The party has started a petition calling on the council to remove leaves from pavements to reduce the chance of residents having slips, falls and injuries.

According to the Lib Dems the number of staff employed by Greener Ealing Ltd, the council owned company contracted to remove leaves and clean streets has fallen. Previously around 40 people were employed around this time of year, but this has been steadily reduced.

In addition, the council is reducing local green garden waste bag collections, (a voluntary paid for service) by reducing service months from 12 months to 9 months, which is not reflected in the fee collection.

Councillor Athena Zissimos, Environment, Streets, Parks and Climate Change said, “Liberal Democrats believe that between Labour’s reduction in GEL employees who in the past would have been brought on especially for the leafing season, coupled with the garden waste collection service which will be cut short this year, gardeners would help the cleaning, by adding street leaves to their green bags, I certainly did. Both factors combined will have a negative impact on the local environment by clogging up drains with leaves, resulting in local flooding, and worst of all and increased risk of injury due slippery pavements with wet leaves underfoot, adding to the stresses of the NHS in winter. We believe that effective service deployment and resourcing as well as cherishing the local environment are a vital part of local ownership by its communities.

“With the increased number of trees that the Borough has planted, have Ealing Labour budgeted for the additional leaf cleaning? Will the same number of staff be expected to clean leaves from the increased number of trees, as before? Even as juvenile trees, trees still shed leaves, let alone what happens when they mature. How long will regular street sleeping be suspended next year, for leaf clearing?”

An Ealing Council spokesperson said,"Safety is a top priority for us, and we take residents’ concerns about leaf build-up on pavements seriously. Our current street-cleaning resources are allocated based on need, prioritising main roads and areas with higher footfall, particularly outside schools, and residential roads with more trees/leaves.

“While budget constraints following a review in 2022/23 have reduced the number of operatives and limited funding for additional resources during peak leaf-fall periods, we remain committed to maintaining clean and safe streets within our available means. With over 557km of roads to manage, our teams, including five mechanical sweepers, work hard to address priority areas efficiently.

“In areas with lower footfall, where leaf clearance might take longer, we are providing tools and resources to residents keen to help. We have received a positive response to the provision with 650 requests for bags and tools so far this autumn, compared with 316 during the whole leafing period last year.

“This collaborative effort ensures streets are cleared sooner, fostering community pride and shared responsibility for public spaces. We continue to review how resources are deployed to balance safety and sustainability while managing significant budget challenges."