A series of action days and events has kicked off to help keep West Suffolk streets clean, safe and support civic pride in the local area.
On the week commencing 10th November (2025) the work was focused in Haverhill with the Town Council and West Suffolk Council working together to target areas identified locally of needing attention.
The work is being carried out in time for Christmas to help support local areas and high streets. And the good news is that it will be continued through the following year.
The work being carried out in the town centre of Haverhill supports the clean up work already being carried out by the Haverhill Town Council Community Warden and by West Suffolk. Recently the Town Council cleared up graffiti opposite the church and created a remembrance design in time for November 11.
Cllr Quinn Cox Mayor of Haverhill, saw for him self the clean up operation going on in the Peas Hill area – a busy link into the town centre.
He said: “Projects like these are so important to our town and help us to restore a sense of pride in where we live. Our community wardens and local volunteers put in hours of hard work each week to keep Haverhill neat and tidy, and while there is plenty of hard work ahead of us it’s important to let people know that steps are being taken to make the town an attractive place to live and work.
“Haverhill is not short of community heroes and local volunteers, from the tireless work by Keep Haverhill Tidy to the recent artwork displays which covered up graffiti, blank shop fronts and unsightly electrical boxes. The work will not stop here and we will always continue to make improvements to the town wherever necessary.”
Cllr Cliff Waterman, West Suffolk Council Leader, said: “West Suffolk is a wonderful place to live, work and visit and this work will help support the great community and civic pride that exists in our area. I am delighted that we are working closely together with the Town Council in Haverhill who, through their Community Warden scheme, are tackling local issues. There is an army of people working everyday to make West Suffolk look its best and support our communities. They are using what I call their “superpower” – the ability to give something back to their community. Your local councils are working every day to address issues but so are a number of community volunteers delivering a range of initiatives from litter picking to planting flowers for the In Bloom competition – and everything in between. These action days will work alongside and build on this great work to support our communities. We have been talking to and listening to local councils and organisations to target areas with a clean sweep ready for Christmas. But the work will not stop there. We will continue to have targeted days in our communities as well as making sure we still deliver high quality essential services for our residents.”
West Suffolk Council is working with local town and parish councils, Business Improvement Districts and community groups to identify and target areas that need enhancing.
This will support the other regular works being carried out on a daily basis by the council and local organisations to help keep their local neighbourhoods clean and attractive.
The work will be a range of activities from cleaning, removing graffiti, landscaping and weeding, litter picking to painting – depending on what is identified locally to benefit communities most.
The focus will be on the town centres, between November and early December to promote and support them and the business community through to the Christmas period. The six town centres are Brandon, Bury St Edmunds, Clare, Haverhill, Mildenhall and Newmarket. However, works will be broadened out to other areas than just town centres to support community needs.
