Residents in Ealing along with opposition parties to Labour-run Ealing Council are calling for improvements in the way streets are being cleared of leaves.
It comes after Ealing Council said it would provide “free brooms and bags” to residents to clear leaves outside their homes and “make your area safer”.
In one posting on Facebook, the council said: “Wet leaves on pavements can lead to accidents, especially when it rains. 🌧️ Our teams are clearing streets, but you can make your area safer by sweeping up leaves on or near your property. We’re providing free brooms and bags to help. 🌿 Request yours today!”
According to Ealing Council there has been 650 responses from residents wanting to get brooms and bags from the council so far this autumn compared with only 316 requests last year.
As well as residents reacting positively to the news they can help the council and the local area they live in, others have questioned why they should.
One resident replied to Ealing Council: “Love the guilt shaming you’ve thrown in!! “Wet leaves… can cause accidents…”, another added: “Only if I get part of my council tax back.” and one enquired if they could get paid: “What’s the pay grade and apart from the broom and bags do I get a pension? ”
Another posting from the council said: “Fallen leaves can block drains, leading to flooding during heavy rain. 🌧️ Our teams are clearing drains and streets, but if you want to help by sweeping up leaves near your home, we can provide free brooms and bags.”
And locals reacted. One person welcomed the council offer and said: “I think the GEL team do a fab job and I like helping out, good to get some exercise and the bags I filled this morning were picked up within a couple of hours! If the whole community got involved it would make it a nicer place for all of us to live”
Another resident replied: “I’ve lived in Ealing for many years, and I’ve rarely, if ever, seen anyone other than residents cleaning the streets. Honestly, your post feels dismissive of those of us who pay our taxes, given the poor state of the borough’s streets. It’s disappointing and frankly unacceptable.”
Ealing Liberal Democrats Councillor Athena Zissimos for environment, streets, parks and climate change said: “Liberal Democrats believe that between Labour’s reduction in Greener Ealing 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.”
Councillor Zissimos further added “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?”
Speaking to EALING.NEWS, 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.”
The spokesperson added: “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.”
