Not Whiter Than White After All

Council is 'spinning' street cleaning success

Recent news that Ealing’s streets are the cleanest they have ever been at this time of year is pure spin say opposition politicians.

In response to this story the Conservatives say nearly half the wards in the borough are failing to make the minimum standards set down in the Council’s contract with May Gurney.

They say, ''Despite attempts by Ealing Council to claim October 2010 figures as some kind of achievement, it hides the fact that out of the 23 wards that makes up the borough, 12 of them are failing at present to meet the minimum 90% grade A standard.''

They list the failing wards as:

• Ealing Broadway
• Ealing Common
• Elthorne
• Greenford Green
• Hobbayne
• Lady Margaret
• North Greenford
• Northolt Mandeville
• Northolt West End
• Southall Broadway
• Southall Green
• Walpole

Cllr Jason Stacey, Leader of the Conservative Group, commented, “Ealing Council has tried to put a positive spin on these figures but beneath the spin are some worrying figures. The Council have highlighted leaf fall as a reason why obtaining high standards can be difficult at this time of year and if this is the case then you would expect that the 12 failing wards would be those with the highest concentration of trees in the borough. However, one look at the list of failing wards shows that this is not the case”

“Cllr Mahfouz was already questioned strongly a couple of months ago as to why in just a few short months street cleansing figures had got worse and it is important that he gets on top of the contractors and demands that at least the minimum contractual standards are being delivered”

What do you think? Is your street cleaning good or could it be better?

11 November 2010