People feel more likely to keep their street clean and tidy if they see a regular road-sweeper with a familiar face — someone they can report things to, the town hall believes.

So Enfield Council is making a clean sweep with a new approach to its street cleaning service by introducing a dedicated sweeper to every neighbourhood.

Householders will now see the same sweeper regularly with their yellow hand barrows.

“Having a familiar face on the job will make a real difference,” Cllr Rick Jewell believes. “So we are allocating a regular street cleaner in every ward.” 

He was out on the street himself to meet roadsweeper Tony Smith on his rounds along King Edward’s Road in the Brimsdown neighbourhood, where the council has piloted the idea since the summer.

The street cleaners also pick up litter, remove overgrown weeds from pavements and report dumped items to be removed.

Falling autumn leaves are an issue this time of year. So neighbourhood sweepers like Tony are being assisted by an extra team to help to clear public footpaths.