A CALL for more funds to be made available to help with street maintenance in Basingstoke and Deane has been refused.

A motion put to the full council on Thursday, 18 October asked the cabinet to make more resources available to the borough council’s grounds maintenance and streetcare team.

In proposing the motion, leader of the Basingstoke Labour Group, Councillor Paul Harvey, said due to the increased population in the borough, the area the streetcare team has to cover has also greatly increased, therefore putting more pressure on the staff.

Cllr Harvey, pictured, said: “This is not a criticism of the work our streetcare team, it is simply asking for more support to be made available.

“The staff are being asked to do more work across a wider area, but they don’t have the numbers or resources to help them.

“Let’s invest in this area and continue to make Basingstoke an area we can be proud to live.”

Eastrop ward councillor Stuart Parker added: “The staff do a great job, but we need to provide them with the appropriate fit for purpose equipment to make their jobs easier.”

Cabinet member for regulatory services and the environment, Cllr Hayley Eachus, said the authority has invested in the maintenance and streetcare team and they have the resources needed.

Cllr Eachus said: “I do not accept the claims that we have not invested in our maintenance staff.

“The borough has been really well looked after and people concerned about the green spaces becoming unruly, you just need to look around at the wonderful spaces we have.”

However, Grove ward councillor Ron Hussey said the issue was not with the actual maintenance but with staff numbers.

The motion was refused on a vote.