Belfast City Council has begun the fightback against perceptions of 'dirty Belfast', with a new washing team set up, and a series of “specialist cleans” planned for the next few weeks.
The council has announced a series of measures to improve cleanliness in the city centre, as a result of the newly formed Cleansing Taskforce. It was set up by elected members in response to recent complaints, to tackle littering, dumped waste and other cleansing-related issues.
Belfast has seen months of bad headlines concerning littering, graffiti 'tagging', fly tipping, missed collections and rat infestation, with business owners and residents alike crying out against a perceived run-down city centre.
The council said: “A review of cleansing operations in neighbourhoods across the city is underway, while staffing capacity has now returned to pre-Covid levels, with extra patrols added to enhance the city’s appearance.
“A dedicated in-house street washing team has been created, and improved quality assessment checks are being implemented to ensure a high standard of care across the city centre. Specialist cleansing will also take place over the next few weeks to further support the council’s operation in key shopping streets.”
Large letters, spelling the word 'Think' and filled with litter, have been installed in the grounds of City Hall to remind residents and visitors to dispose of litter in bins provided across the city centre. They will remain in place until Friday August 26.
The council adds: “The taskforce is also prioritising better engagement with city partners to improve how they respond to recurring issues like weed removal, which fall outside the council’s remit, but have led to complaints. Plans for a more coordinated approach to graffiti removal are being developed, as well as proposals for a dedicated horticultural team who will look at dressing the city with additional greenery and planting.”
Work is progressing to develop Cathedral Gardens as a new public space for the city in the long-term, with an Active Travel Hub planned in the short-term. Ahead of its opening in September, the site will be resurfaced and receive new planting, landscaping, play equipment and additional seating.
The council says: “Staff will also work to remove graffiti, increase litter picks and deep cleanse the area more regularly, and foliage is being trimmed back to improve the sight lines of nearby CCTV cameras.”
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