Glasgow City Council to spend extra £7m on cleaning after criticism over dirty streets

Glasgow’s new council budget will invest £7 million more in cleaning the city, with new local neighbourhood cleansing teams, more staff to deal with rats, and night shift workers.

It comes after the city has faced criticism over dirty streets and the amount of litter and fly-tipping.

69 more staff will be sent out to tackle 23 neighbourhoods and deal with fly-tipping, littering, weeds and other problems in a £2.3 million investment.

Another 40 nightshift workers will be out cleaning the city centre and local high streets under a £1.5 million funding boost.

An extra £1.06 million will be spent on employing 40 more people to carry out deep cleans, and £170,000 will go towards increasing the number of pest control workers by five.

Presenting the budget today, treasurer Ricky Bell, SNP, said he is “delighted to announce that this is a budget that will significantly invest in our frontline cleansing services. We’ll invest more than £7 million pounds across all areas of the service and in doing so create more than two hundred new jobs.”

Councillor Laura Doherty, SNP, said the nightshift street scene team will “work around the clock” to keep streets clean.

She said deep cleaning will “target the most challenging” spots, and pest control staff will “get to grips with the vermin problem.”

She added that a “cleaner Glasgow is a better Glasgow.”

The passed budget, which covers the period April 1 2025, to March 31, 2026, was agreed by the SNP and Scottish Greens today and voted for by the majority of councillors.

Other revenue investment plans include 100 new parking wardens, £4 million for the Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership and free school meals for P6s, which will extend to P7s next year. The city’s parks are also in line for 50 more operatives at a cost of £1.64 million.

Families will face a 7.5 per cent council tax increase in the upcoming year as part of the city’s financial plan.

Labour councillors also put forward a budget, proposing a five per cent council tax rise, which wasn’t carried.

They wanted to invest £2.27 million in additional support needs in schools, reinstate triple swimming pool shifts, and restore full-time face-to-face appointments at the council office in John Street.

Glasgow Labour’s Treasurer spokesperson Councillor Jill Brown said: “For far too long, Glasgow has suffered under an SNP administration that has failed to stand up for our city. Our communities have felt the impact of devastating cuts to public services, from the loss of vital education support to the neglect of our local infrastructure.

‘’Parents are worried about their children not getting the support they need in schools, families are struggling to access local facilities, and the city’s roads and public spaces have been left to deteriorate.

‘’This budget is about putting Glasgow first. Labour is investing in our city’s future by fully funding MCR Pathways, reinstating teachers, and ensuring that our public services work for everyone. We will open up our swimming pools, extend community venue opening hours, and take real action to clean up our streets.”