Improving Street Scene

Improving the street scene to reduce the perception of anti-social behaviour

Street scene inspections

• Street cleansing contract monitoring       
• Town centre inspections
• Inspecting Neighbourhood Recycling Centres
• Inspecting Public Conveniences

Street Scene repairs

• Fixing face plates onto Street Name Plates
• Fixing broken fencing
• Removing overhanging vegetation
• Replacing oak posts and bollards
• Instigating bus shelter repairs
• Instigating bench repairs
• Graffiti removal
• Informing Hertfordshire County Council of roadside lighting repairs
• Reporting all highway defects e.g.. potholes, etc, to HCC and monitoring progress and standards of repair
• Removing basal growth from trees
• The Council is responsible for managing and maintaining:

Grass Cutting

We cut grass on Council-owned land to maintain it less than 150mm in length, or 50mm in urban areas. The cut grass is generally left on the surface of the grass areas although in some “fine grass” areas it is boxed and removed from site. 

Highway Verges

We maintain the grass and shrubs on highway verges under an agency agreement with Hertfordshire County Council. The main roads (A10 including slip roads, Lieutenant Ellis Way, Monarchs Way, A1170 from Turnford to the northern Borough boundary and Dinant Link) are excluded from the agreement. Grounds maintenance on these roads is carried out by the County Council.

Hedgerows

A planned program of work takes place seasonally for hedgerows. Hedges are generally visited once or twice per year, and care is taken to avoid the bird nesting season.

Shrub beds

Shrub beds should be visited once per month for weeding, litter picking and selective pruning. An annual programme over the winter months sees all shrubs pruned and the beds mulched.

Other works

The Council also carries out a weed spraying programme on highway surfaces twice per year

Shops and open spaces inspections

• Encouraging shop keepers who sell food for instant consumption to enter into the Voluntary Code of Practice; this involves installing a bin and regular litter picking in the vicinity of the front of the shop. The Council will provide a litter picker and refuse bags.
• Inspecting the rear of shops to identify neglected areas, working with owners to improve their land
• Working with landowners to remove graffiti and repairing damage to property  
• Issuing legal notices to landowners who fail to co-operate.