When it comes to making In Roads into grime, the Borough’s DERT team is hard to beat. Terry Bensley and his four-strong team are in the front line when it comes to making a real difference in areas where tough action is needed.
The Dynamic Environmental Response Team (DERT) is run by GYB Services, working in partnership with the Borough Council to deep-clean public areas, restoring streets and pavements to as good as new and giving the whole area a lift.
The team also responds to emergencies, especially in the town centre where keeping the streets clean is vital to the town’s reputation among visitors, as well as being a matter of pride to all residents. Nobody wants to see the evidence of somebody else’s over-indulgence – so efficient cleaning and sanitising the offending spot is important.
High-pressure washing is used to remove ground-in dirt from kerbs, paving and walls, but the team also grubs out weeds and bleaches and sanitises where necessary. They also clear rubbish and litter, sometimes needing a refuse vehicle where things are really bad. They can be called in to safely remove ‘sharps’, including needles and broken glass.
But it’s not their equipment or muscle-power that makes the most difference – it’s the co-operative working with other agencies, as Terry Bensley explains:
"If we are going to give gutters and gulleys a really good clean out, we have to keep vehicles out of the way. We put leaflets out beforehand, but it is the police ‘no parking’ cones that remind people not to park.”
The DERT team often links up with other groups and organisations, including Neighbourhood Action Teams, Night Safe with the police, the Environment Rangers, and County Council highways teams.
They play and important part in Environment Action Days, including one recently in Suffolk Close, where they helped with the bulky items collection, as well as removing graffiti and carrying out extensive cleaning. They are in action again this week in a multi-agency Environment Action Day at Queen’s Crescent.
Often the team will be responding to complaints about problems, and last week went into action in the passages around Palgrave Road and Alderson Road, where weeds needed grubbing out before cleaning and sanitising.
Other recent work has included clearing out the Fullers Hill pedestrian underpasses after the exceptionally high tides.
If you know of public area that needs a visit from the DERT team, call Terry Bensley and the team on 01493 846846 and leave call-back details. Terry will carry out an inspection and if the team can help, they will usually be in action within two or three days.