Cleaning up Brent

The condition of local streets, pavements, roads and public spaces shapes how people feel about living in Brent. After 15 years of Labour control, too many parts of our borough are dirtier, more run-down and less well cared for than residents expect and deserve. Non-existent street cleaning, overflowing rubbish, broken pavements and poorly managed roadworks have become an everyday frustration  for residents.

A Council that waits until roads and pavements are beyond repair is wasting money and failing residents. Bulky waste charges have risen while fly-tipping has increased. Street bins have been removed without proper alternatives, leaving litter to pile up. Roadworks are too often uncoordinated, causing unnecessary congestion and disruption to daily life.

Liberal Democrats believe Brent Council can and must do better. Improving the public realm means getting the basics right: cleaner streets, safe roads and pavements, sensible waste collection policies and roadworks that are always properly planned with residents in mind. The following proposals set out how we will restore pride in our neighbourhoods and deliver the clean, safe and well-managed borough that Brent’s residents deserve.

1. We will reintroduce regular, scheduled street cleaning on residential roads, reversing Labour’s decision to scale back routine cleaning across the borough. Street cleanliness will be measured using the independent Keep Britain Tidy grading system, ensuring clear, objective standards rather than box-ticking.Roads that repeatedly fall below acceptable standards will receive increased cleaning and targeted action until conditions improve.
    
2. We will lower the threshold for repairs so roads, potholes and pavements are fixed early, before small problems turn into costly failures. Contractors will be held to account for poor-quality, patchwork repairs, with officers required to inspect and sign off work properly once repairs are completed. In addition to existing funding, we will use Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) consistently across the full four-year term to maintain roads and pavements, focused on need, not timed just for the months before an election.
    
3. We will target persistent fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour in hotspot locations by increasing enforcement, ensuring officers work at the times incidents occur, including evenings and nights. CCTV will be expanded in these areas, funded through CIL and other sources and all efforts will be coordinated closely with the local police. We will also launch a public health campaign on the harms of chewing tobacco, working with the community, while lobbying the government to introduce a national ban.
    
4. We will bring back street bins across Brent and seek a variation to the Council’s contract with Veolia to guarantee regular emptying and periodic cleaning of these bins.
    
5. We will reduce the inflated bulky waste charges that the Labour Council has allowed to rise significantly over the years, a policy that has contributed to increased fly-tipping across Brent. Community skips will continue to be available periodically, ensuring local access for residents who need them. In addition, bulky waste will be collected directly from the doors of eligible residents on designated community skip days in their area, making disposal simpler and more convenient for elderly and disabled residents.
    
6. We will ensure that all roadworks in Brent are carefully coordinated with utility and water companies to minimise disruption for residents and local businesses. Once works are completed, the Council will inspect roads and pavements to ensure they are fully restored to standard. Where standards are not met, companies will be held accountable, preventing long-term damage and ensuring residents do not continue to bear the impact of poor-quality repairs.