Brent Council has approved a £1.54 million contract variation for street cleaning services with Veolia Environmental Services (UK) Limited, aiming to significantly enhance street cleanliness across the borough.
The decision, made by the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee, will see the contract extended for 12 months and includes the provision of two small mechanical street sweepers, five additional litter pickers for town centres and high streets, and nighttime street cleaning and waste collection services. These measures are intended to improve the overall appearance and hygiene of town centres.
Furthermore, the variation expands the scope to include dedicated Persistent Organic Pollutants (PoPS) waste collection seven days a week. This is a response to new PoPS legislation introduced in 2024, which requires separate collection arrangements. Currently, a rapid response crew from Wembley North is being redirected for PoPS collection, impacting street cleansing standards in that area. The expansion aims to provide a dedicated crew, allowing the Wembley North team to return to core contract duties.
The variation also introduces waste collection from unregistered land and a weekend rapid response street cleaning crew. A trial of additional resources for Brent Housing Estates is also planned, which will include a vehicle and two crew members to support the collection of fly-tipped and excess waste.
Councillor Paul Lorber, who called in the decision, had raised concerns about the current performance of Veolia's street cleaning services, stating that streets are dirtier than ever.
He highlighted issues with bin cleaning, questioning the effectiveness of litter picking over sweeping for achieving a Grade A standard of cleanliness. Councillor Lorber also pointed out the inadequate refuse facilities for residents in flats above shops, where refuse bags are often left on pavements, creating a mess that is not adequately addressed.
Councillor Bart, standing in for the Cabinet Member, defended the variation as an operational adjustment to invest in frontline services and address issues raised by residents and councillors. He confirmed that the contract, which began in 2023 and runs until 2031, would be reviewed closer to its expiry, with member engagement planned. The re-tendering process for a contract of this scale typically takes over three years, suggesting a review commencement around 2028, with preparation beginning in 2027. However, he noted that preparation for this review could begin sooner.
The committee voted to confirm the decision, with four votes in favour of confirmation and four votes for referral back, with the Chair's casting vote in favour of confirmation. This means the £1.54 million variation will proceed.
The trial for Brent Housing Estates will run for 12 months, Monday to Friday during normal working hours. It will involve a 26-tonne RCV for fly-tips and excess waste, and a caged vehicle for PoPS items and rapid response, coordinated by a supervisor. The report does not explicitly state the criteria for evaluating the success of this trial.
Councillor Lorber countered that mechanical sweepers might not effectively clean gutters and suggested some proposed solutions were more for appearance than substantive work. He also expressed concern that contract terms, such as cleaning shopping centres to a Grade A standard, were not being met in practice.
Councillor Mitchell suggested accelerating the review process, and Councillor Bart noted the potential to utilise unspent funding from the £3 million budget for wider resident and councillor consultation on how best to spend it.
Read the full public reports pack for the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee meeting on 2 September 2026: Public reports pack Wednesday 02-Sep-2026 18.00 Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee.
See the agenda frontsheet for the meeting: Agenda frontsheet Wednesday 02-Sep-2026 18.00 Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee.
