Barnsley Council comes together with partners for first of many Love Where You Live environmental clean up days

Yesterday, Barnsley Council came together with partners for the first of many environmental clean-ups by our new Housing and Environmental Neighbourhood Task Force. 

The investment is part of Barnsley Council’s Love Where You Live and investment programme. This is supporting the revitalisation of our local communities, bringing people together through social action and community pride and contributing to the council's Sustainable Barnsley and Healthy Barnsley priorities.

The new team will be working across more than 120 streets in 15 wards, responding directly to areas that residents and elected members have highlighted as needing a little extra care.

They are tasked with environmental issues such as waste, graffiti, and anti-social behaviour, while also building stronger community connections and pride in local neighbourhoods.

The Task Force brings together staff from our Safer Communities Team, Housing Officers and Neighbourhood Services with partners from Berneslai Homes to deliver visible improvements to the local area.  The first week of targeted clean-ups is focused in Worsbrough and kicked off in Bank End Avenue on Monday, before moving on to Monkspring, Allendale, Wellington Crescent, Underwood Avenue.

Cllr Wendy Cain, Cabinet Spokesperson for Public Health and Communities, said: “We know how important it is for people to feel proud of where they live.

“Our new task force is about listening to our communities and responding with real action.

“By working together, we can make a lasting difference to the look and feel of our neighbourhoods and show that every street matters. We want everyone to play their part in building pride in their neighbourhood – feel free to join us and show you Love Where You Live.”

Cllr James Higginbottom, Cabinet Spokesperson for Environment and Highways said: “This initiative is not just about cleaning up our streets – it’s about protecting and enhancing our local environment for future generations.

“By tackling litter, fly-tipping, and other environmental issues head-on, we’re helping to create greener, healthier spaces for everyone to enjoy.

“I’m proud to see our communities coming together with local partners to take ownership of their neighbourhoods and create spaces that everyone can be proud of.”

If you want to get involved in any of these clean-ups or other Love Where You Live activities happening in your local area, visit our website.

The dedicated Action Force clean-up programme will run from August 2025 to July 2026, with each identified street receiving two intensive visits and ongoing support throughout the year. The work complements ongoing year-round work by our parks and neighbourhood teams to maintain a clean and green Barnsley. The action force will work to make sure that improvements are sustained and built upon.

This investment has been made possible by additional one-off funds from an improved local government financial settlement for 2025/26. Love Where You Live enables us to invest in initiatives that support our Council Plan priorities, such as improving Barnsley’s roads, helping families with the costs of school uniform and free bus travel for under 18s. Read more about Barnsley Council’s investments into local communities.