Crunch talks to decide working hours of park and street cleaners

The working days of the Safer, Cleaner, Greener team could be changed in Calderdale

Crunch talks with staff and trade unions will take place as Calderdale Council looks to revamp the working hours of its team that keeps parks and streets clean.

At the meeting of Calderdale Council’s Cabinet, members agreed to consult staff and trade unions about specific proposals to introduce a seven day working week.

At the moment streets are swept five days a week (unless there is a significant event or incident at the weekend), meaning street sweeping vehicles are usually left unused for two days a week.

Staff would move to seven day working weeks on a fixed rota basis and remove the cost of the overtime currently paid for additional weekend work.

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Communities, Councillor Susan Press, said: “Our Safer, Cleaner, Greener team plays a key role in ensuring our parks and green spaces are well maintained, as well as keeping our streets clean and tidy.

“We want to ensure that this good work can continue, however in order to meet significant financial pressures, we have to look at new ways of working to make the best use of our limited resources and ensure value for money for taxpayers.”

The Safer, Cleaner, Greener service manages and maintains Calderdale’s many parks, open spaces, children’s play areas, woodlands and nature reserves.

It also sweeps roads and footpaths, empties litter bins and removes graffiti and fly-tipping from Council land.

The Council is proposing new ways to run the service to meet the required budget savings for 2019/20.