Councillors launch pilot scheme to clean up Crewe’s alleyways

Councillors in Crewe have welcomed the launch of a pilot scheme to help make the town’s streets and alleyways cleaner and tidier.

The initiative, jointly managed by Cheshire East Council and Crewe Town Council, targets the perpetrators of antisocial activities such as fly-tipping and contamination of bins.

The project is seen as a success in the fight against environmental crime and is the culmination of several years of lobbying by Crewe residents backed by town and ward councillors.

Borough Cllr Steve Hogben, of Crewe South ward, said: “This pilot is the result of about six years of hard work bringing this problem to the top of the agenda.

“The Tories only paid lip service to this problem, but Labour has actually tackled the problem in a systematic fashion.

“The most notable contribution to this work came from the late Brian Roberts, who actually launched the borough council’s work to get the different departments and stakeholders to work together, when he took over the highways and waste portfolio in May 2019, but all the Crewe borough councillors have been involved at some point.

“The most active town councillors on this issue, without question, over the past six years have been Crewe South ward councillors John Rhodes (since 2015) and Gary Palin, at first as a community activist from 2015 then as a town councillor since 2019, and their contribution should also be recognised

Cllr Anthony Critchley, of Crewe Central, added: “This initiative is a prime example of how Labour councillors are engaging with local residents to help make sure our streets are kept clean and safe.

“We look forward to working with the local community on similar projects going forward with a view to improving the environment in which we all live.”