BASILDON Council's Pride teams have been praised for the their hard work in making a differenceby tidying and cleaning throughout the borough last year.

The teams, which specialise in a variety of horticultural and cleansing duties, carried out 85 area clean ups, clearing more than 45 tonnes of waste and recycling in 2020.

An update report on the progress of the Pride Teams was received by councillors at the Neighbourhoods and Public Spaces Committee last night (Wednesday, 20 January).

Chairman of the Neighbourhoods and Public Spaces Committee, Cllr David Harrison, said: "The Pride Teams did an outstanding job in 2020 supporting our efforts to improve the look of the borough, throughout a year when more of us have relied on our outdoor and communal spaces for exercise and wellbeing.

"We are pleased to be looking ahead to the works the team can undertake throughout 2021 across the borough."

The teams carry out a range of tasks from deep cleansing untidy areas to footpath clearance and removal of lower branches from trees to improve access and aim to work alongside residents to improve residential areas.