Council crackdown sees more than 2,600 homes tidied up

More than 17,000 council properties have been inspected over the last 12 months as part of an ongoing commitment to ensure housing estates are kept clean and tidy.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has carried out street inspections at 17,285 homes all over the city since June 2024 – and identified 2,949 cases of untidy gardens, fly-tipping and graffiti.

In that time, estate officers have worked proactively with tenants to clean up and maintain their gardens - and 88 per cent of cases have already been resolved.

Now the council is reminding tenants that it is their responsibility to keep their gardens or yards tidy and free from rubbish.

Councillor Chris Robinson, cabinet member for housing and planning, said: “If you are a council tenant, it is your responsibility to ensure your gardens and yards are kept tidy and visually pleasing.

“Our officers have worked extremely hard over the last 12 months and have successfully visited every street in their individual patches. They have also worked closely with tenants to resolve some of the issues which were identified, and I’m pleased that over 2,600 cases have already been closed. I hope that residents have started to notice improvements in their neighbourhood.

“We have identified a number of hotspot areas where we will be stepping up our street inspections in the future and we will continue to work with our tenants to ensure all of our estates are kept clean and tidy.

“Everyone has a right to live in a cleaner, greener and safer city so we will not hesitate to take enforcement action where necessary.” 

Council tenants struggling to maintain their gardens should contact their housing officer for support.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council offers a chargeable bulky waste collection service for large items that may require removal.  To book a collection call 01782 234234 or visit: www.stoke.gov.uk/bulkywaste