Keeping Cheltenham parks and gardens clean and safe

With finer weather on the way and lockdown restrictions easing, council officers are working with Gloucestershire Constabulary to ensure that everyone using Cheltenham’s parks and green spaces is acting responsibly and following the government's Coronavirus guidelines on social distancing and meeting others.

Additional larger bins have already been installed in Cheltenham’s larger parks and further standard bins are being put in other parks and green spaces; bins will also be emptied more regularly with increased litter picking.  Visitors to the parks and gardens are asked to allow the litter picking teams to safely operate by maintaining social distancing.

Toilet facility opening times have been extended in Montpellier Gardens with additional cleansing also provided.

Tracey Crews, director of planning Cheltenham Borough Council, says: ‘’Our parks and green spaces are for everyone to enjoy and we’d ask residents and visitors to respect each other and the areas they are in. It is important that visitors to our parks and gardens feel safe and we ask everyone to be mindful of others by making use of the toilet facilities and ensuring that litter is placed in the bins provided, or visitors take their rubbish home with them.

“Our neighbourhood team is working closely with the police and will be monitoring and enforcing where necessary. They have been out and about talking with individuals in the parks and offering bin bags for them to clear their rubbish.

“If people are able to report any issues to us via our online report it tool, we would appreciate it – please visit www.cheltenham.gov.uk/report-it.”

Acting Inspector Steve Benbow of Gloucestershire Constabulary said: "Cheltenham residents have been great at following social distancing rules, however the recent spell of warm weather resulted in large groups gathering, particularly in Montpellier Gardens, with littering, drug and alcohol use and noise issues being reported to us.

"We want to ensure that everyone can safely enjoy the area as lockdown restrictions continue to ease and the neighbourhood policing team will be conducting regular patrols in the park. I would like to ask that those who meet up do so responsibly whilst respecting those who live in the surrounding area.

"We are working with our colleagues at Cheltenham Borough Council to monitor and hopefully resolve these issues."

Most incidents called in are around noise, litter and urination, with no crime or disorder reported.