Peter Yaxley, Clive Clark, Jay Messenger and Charl, a new team to keep Harlow clean and tidy has started work.

The permanent four-person Environment Response Team is part of a £670,000 investment in Harlow which forms part of the recent contract extension agreed between Harlow Council and Kier.

The team was launched in April 2012 and has already carried out a number of clean-up tasks across the town.

The team targets both litter hot spots and areas identified by residents, carrying out tasks such as bramble clearance, litter and rubbish removal, path clearance, clearance of small fly-tips and weed spraying.

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The team is an addition to other services Kier Harlow provides on behalf of the council such as routine street cleaning, grass cutting, emptying litter bins and graffiti removal.

Harlow Council portfolio holder for environment, Cllr Jon Clempner, said: "Keeping streets clean is a priority for residents and this investment in the Environment Response Team will help to deal with hot spots as they arise, but it is also about residents helping to keep the town clean too.

"We know most residents look after the environment and use the services available but if there is a problem which needs cleaning up we need to know about it."

Kier Harlow operations director, John Phillips, added: "Kier Harlow is delighted to be able to improve its environmental service to the residents of Harlow."

(CD)