A programme to get town and village centres in County Durham spick and span has moved on to its latest destination.
Durham County Council’s Operation Spruce Up is now at Newton Aycliffe following a stint at Langley Moor.
Spruce Up sees teams from across different council service areas coming together for an intensive clean up in a new location each month.
At Newton Aycliffe work is taking in Bluebell Woods and eight underpasses.
Footpaths are being swept and cleared; bollards and railings cleaned and painted; old bins replaced; signs cleaned and gullys and channels cleared. Litter is being picked up; weeds pulled out, and trees and shrub beds pruned.
Spring flowering bulbs are also being planted at Bluebell Woods while children from Byerley Park Primary School, representatives from Horndale Residents Association and the town’s Tesco store are helping plant mini daffodil bulbs at Staintondale.
Also involved in Sprucing Up the town are local county councillors, representatives from Great Aycliffe and Middridge Partnership AAP, and staff and members from Great Aycliffe Town Council.
County council workers will also be going into local primary schools to deliver assemblies and running a poster competition, with the winning entry to be displayed around local businesses and community buildings.
Cllr Brian Stephens, the council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and local partnerships, said: “Spruce Up has been a real success story so far with the feedback overwhelmingly positive everywhere we’ve been.
“We’re looking forward to working with our partners at Newton Aycliffe to mirror the great results we’ve had at our previous programme locations.”
Philip Clark, chair of the residents association, said: “Local residents welcome Operation Spruce up coming to our neighbourhood, improving the environment. The bulb planting carried out by local school pupils will bring pleasure to many people for many years.”
Spruce Up began in November 2016 and covers one location per Area Action Partnership catchment.
In October, the scheme saw activity in Langley Moor, with sensory planting carried out with representatives from the Alzheimer’s Society to make the community more dementia friendly.
