Cleaning services to be merged

WASTE and street cleaning services are being merged by Oldham Council to save over £80,000.

The waste management and clean, green and parks scene divisions will become the clean and green division.

And the two service director posts will be also be merged. The savings of £80,750 are part of the overall £450,000 budget savings being made in the environmental services department.

A report from John Hurst, the department’s executive director, says while waste recycling rates have improved, the new managed weekly collections have led to cleanliness problems in some areas.

This is partly caused by the closed bin policy and end of alleyway collections, he added.

He said: “The level of cleanliness across the borough, and people’s perceptions, have improved significantly over recent years.

“But there is a need for much greater integration between the waste management service and street scene to address the problems.”

Unions have been consulted, and there may be redundancy costs.