A severely visually impaired councillor has described “feeling terrified” walking to the shops with her guide dog Wendy since a North London council changed its approach to street cleaning. The borough’s streets are no longer swept on a regular rota basis and the councillor is concerned Wendy could be “seriously injured” by an increasing amount of broken glass left the ground.
In 2023, Brent Council scrapped its traditional street cleaning rota and moved to an ‘intelligence led’ approach – where the service is allocated to areas based on priority. However, this has faced criticism by both opposition and residents, with some areas said to have “turned into a pigsty” since the change.
Alperton, located just outside Wembley, is one part of the borough where many feel things have got worse since the changes. Its Liberal Democrat ward councillor, Hannah Matin, said the area has become “dangerous”, particularly for those with mobility issues or accessibility needs, as things like broken glass on the floor has become “far more common”.
Cllr Matin criticised the ‘intelligence-led’ method of street cleaning for “not being very intelligent” and has meant she has to go out of the borough to take Wendy for her free run. She also pointed to damaged or broken pavements as another hazard that is affecting public safety in Alperton.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “Living with a severe visual impairment, I rely on my wonderful Guide Dog, Wendy, to help me navigate my surroundings independently. However, even a simple walk around my own ward becomes a risk due to broken glass from discarded alcoholic bottles and broken pavements.
“If Wendy were to step on shattered glass it could cause serious injury and require an emergency visit to the vet. I always ensure I am accompanied by someone when walking in Alperton for this reason. On multiple occasions, I have had to be guided away from dangerous areas to keep Wendy safe.”
Alongside the street cleaning changes, Cllr Matin claims the reduction in litter bins and a rise in street drinking has exacerbated the problem – which she, in part, puts down to the number of businesses being granted alcohol licences. She wants fewer licences approved and all businesses with alcohol licenses to be required to place identifying stickers on their alcoholic drinks.
Cllr Matin said: “This would help enforcement teams track where littered bottles and cans originate, allowing them to work more effectively with businesses to manage the issue. […] Our streets are blighted with discarded cans and bottles from those who fail to dispose of their waste responsibly. This is a serious problem that affects public health, the appearance of our local area, and places an additional strain on both council and police resources.”
Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Environment, Cllr Krupa Sheth, said the council’s Don’t Mess with Brent campaign has “seen improvements” with street cleaning and flytipping, claiming this “zero tolerance approach” has led to a more than 50 per cent increase in the number of enforcement actions over the past 12 months. She also pointed to an agreed £14.5m package to go towards more enforcement officers, CCTV, roads, parks and other infrastructure.
Cllr Sheth said: “In Alperton this means new investment on Abbeydale Road footways, resurfacing on Eden Close, stump removals on Bridgewater Road and Heather Park Drive, and replacing outdated streetlights across local streets.
“On street drinking, we carefully consider every licensing application that we receive – but of Brent’s 947 alcohol licences, just 33 are in Alperton. At the same time, we are continuing to step up enforcement patrols to deal with street drinking and anti-social behaviour wherever it’s reported.
“We know most residents care deeply about their local environment. That’s why we ask for their help – please keep reporting fly-tipping, potholes, and anti-social behaviour so we can get our crews on the ground quickly and keep Alperton safe and clean for everyone.”
Brent Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Cllr Paul Lorber, accused the council of “neglecting” Alperton, calling it “a disgrace”. He told the LDRS: “They have allowed Alperton to be turned into a pigsty. There is no regular cleaning and no effective enforcement against those responsible for all this dumping.
“[They] took away all litter bins from residential areas, cut regular street sweeping and now propose a 40 per cent price hike in the ‘too big for the bin service’. They called their approach ‘intelligent’ cleaning – you have to be a real idiot to come up with that title and that idea.”
Grant Williams is a journalist and Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) for Reach PLC, reporting on local government, politics and community issues across London. As part of the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he has contributed to Harrow Online, covering council decisions, housing developments, transport, planning matters and stories affecting local communities across Harrow and Brent.
