By Melissa Aitchison, Sefton Council
From being an operational specialist on the Street Cleansing equipment to building relationships with residents, Street Cleansing Operative Victoria Phillips is part of a wider team working every day to keep the streets clean and restore community pride in Sefton.
We spent a day with Victoria and Cllr Peter Harvey, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Cleansing and Street Scene, to see first-hand the work that goes into keeping the borough’s streets and public spaces clean.
For Vicky, no two days are the same. Armed with a range of specialist equipment, she helps tackle everything from litter and leaves to discarded cans and bottles. Among the equipment she operates is the formidable Glutton, a powerful vacuum system that efficiently collects litter and debris from streets, pavements and hard-to-reach areas, helping keep Southport looking its best.
Vicky also works with the Council’s chewing gum removal machine, which removes stubborn gum staining from pavements. The equipment has been funded through a grant from Keep Britain Tidy, supported by major chewing gum manufacturers, helping Sefton improve the appearance of busy town centre streets at no additional cost to residents.
While these machines play an important role, it is the people behind the operation who make the difference.
“The best part of my job is meeting people every day and seeing the difference we make,” said Vicky.
“You get to know the same faces and build relationships with residents, businesses and visitors. It’s a very community-focused role and there’s a real sense of pride when you see an area looking cleaner and brighter because of the work you’ve done.”
Vicky’s work forms part of a wider effort in the North of Sefton, where Waste Management, Street Cleansing and Environmental Enforcement teams work together throughout the year to tackle littering, fly-tipping and cleaning our streets.
The Council has invested an additional £1.5 million into making the streets cleaner. Alongside enhanced cleansing operations, Sefton’s Environmental Enforcement team has been significantly expanded and has tripled in size, including additional officers working in the north of the borough. In the past five months alone, the team has issued more than 50 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for fly-tipping and duty of care offences.
The officers work closely with Waste Management and Street Cleansing teams to investigate fly-tipping incidents, gather evidence, take enforcement action against offenders, helping to prevent waste being illegally dumped.
Cllr Peter Harvey, Cabinet Member for Cleansing and Street Scene, said:
“Keeping Sefton clean is about much more than what people see on the surface. Behind the scenes there is a huge amount of work taking place every day by dedicated teams who care deeply about our communities.
“People like Vicky are at the heart of that work. Whether it’s removing litter, tackling chewing gum staining, responding to environmental issues or helping residents, they are making a visible difference every single day.
“Our investment in cleaner streets and strengthening our Environmental Enforcement team is helping us build on that work, tackle fly-tipping and create neighbourhoods that residents can be proud of. This success has also been recognised nationally; the team are finalists for the APSE Awards in the Best Service Team – Streetscene category.
This day highlighted the scale of work taking place to keep Sefton looking its best.
Watch the video to hear directly from Vicky and Cllr Harvey about the work taking place and how Sefton’s Street Cleansing teams are helping create cleaner, greener Sefton together.
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