Local authorities are to receive £9.75m to help them tidy up their local areas ahead of ‘National High Street Perfect Day’.
Councils will be able to use this one-off funding to support existing community groups with equipment and training for volunteers.
They will be able to buy tools such as litter pickers, gloves and brushes and provide training for residents on how to remove graffiti or tackle fly-tipping.
They will also be able to organise events to encourage more families to get involved in litter-picking activities.
‘High streets are at the centre of our communities, and as places that are well loved, they sometimes need a bit of a spruce up to look their very best,’ said communities secretary James Brokenshire.
‘That’s why we will be providing councils with £9.75m to work with community groups who need that extra money to give their local high street a spring clean, making sure their town centres are really spick and span.’
The funding will help councils prepare for ‘National High Street Perfect Day’.
This day was first suggested in Sir John Timpson’s High Street Report, which called for a community-led approach towards supporting high streets, including one day of litter picking a year.
High streets minister Jake Berry commented: ‘This funding will improve community engagement and give councils an opportunity to do more, with community-led approaches to street clean-ups.
‘The Great British Spring Clean and the upcoming National High Street Perfect Day are fantastic opportunities for communities to get together in partnership with local businesses and ensure our high streets are places we have even greater pride in.’
The Great British Spring Clean is a month of cleaning up high streets and parks organised organised by the charity Keep Britain Tidy.
Commenting on the announcement, Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: ‘We are delighted that the Government has decided to support all our thousands of #LitterHeroes by giving councils money to provide them with equipment and training.
‘We know, given the scale of support for the Great British Spring Clean, that finding equipment for all those who want to take part can be challenging so this money will help as we continue to grow the campaign and our network of #LitterHeroes all over the country.’
