Glasgow's overnight cleansing team doubled after criticism of 'dirty streets'

More workers are now cleaning Glasgow’s streets overnight following a recruitment drive which council chiefs say will lead to “a difference in the condition of the city”.

The street cleansing night-shift team has doubled from 40 to 80 staff members after Glasgow City Council agreed to invest £7m in frontline services at its budget meeting in February.

That commitment is expected to see 200 new posts in street cleansing and parks operations created, and the expanded overnight team is now getting to work.

They will help ensure Glasgow is in the best possible condition by the start of the following morning and improve the response to major events in the city, the council has said.

Cllr Laura Doherty, SNP, city convener for neighbourhood services and assets, said: “We know our teams can work very effectively overnight as the streets are quieter and they can get about the city more quickly.

“Doubling the size of the street cleansing team will mean our staff can get through more of the work that matters to our residents — picking litter, power washing, street sweeping and emptying bins.

“People may not see our expanded night shift team going about their work, but I am very confident they will see a difference in the condition of the city.”

The investment comes after the council has faced criticism over dirty streets and the amount of litter and fly-tipping.

Glasgow’s household survey for 2024 found the main reasons that respondents were dissatisfied with council services included poor maintenance/cleanliness and issues with waste and refuse collection.

Cllr Doherty said: “We’ve invested in our street cleansing service because we know this is a priority for local residents.

“Our investment, and the hard work of our staff, will help provide us with cleaner, safer streets throughout Glasgow and a city centre we can be proud of.”

The investment will also see a deep clean team for all of the city’s 23 wards. They will tackle overgrown vegetation, weeds, litter in hard-to-teach places and other environmental issues.

There will also be a neighbourhood clean team in each ward to provide a “rapid response” to concerns such as fly-tipping and spillages.

The city’s SNP and Green groups agreed a budget deal, which saw council tax rise by 7.5%, in February. At the time, city treasurer Ricky Bell, SNP, said Glaswegians were being asked “to contribute a bit more to this budget”, adding: “A bit more which lead to significant investment in cleansing, in teachers, in parks and in our weans.”