Staffnet-Headertxt
Cymraeg Cymraeg

Council Tackles Sticky Streets

09 November 2026

Our newly formed Street Scene team has been tackling stubborn chewing gum stains on pavements, following new funding through Keep Britain Tidy’s Chewing Gum Task Force.

The grant has enabled cleansing teams to launch a targeted pavement-cleaning project, using specialist machinery and environmentally-friendly cleaning solutions to remove accumulated chewing gum from busy public spaces.

In 2026, 78 councils applied for funding through the scheme, with 50 successful applicants. The Vale of Glamorgan was one of just five councils in Wales to receive a grant and one of 16 councils to secure funding for the first time.

The initiative is entirely grant-funded and is supported by major chewing gum manufacturers to help local authorities tackle chewing gum litter.

chewing gum slider-5Waste Project Officer Carys Stephens said: “Following an initial suggestion from Street Scene colleagues, I was asked to explore the scheme and its potential benefits for the Vale. I discovered that the scheme had been running for five years, but that we had never previously applied. I submitted an application on behalf of the Vale, with the aim of targeting high-footfall areas such as Holton Road in Barry and Penarth town centre. 

"There have been some minor challenges along the way, but despite this, we covered as many streets and areas as possible, and although the project was originally due to finish on 30 October, we have decided to continue the chewing gum removal operation indefinitely. 

"We will be revisiting Holton Road and are planning to start work on Broad Street soon. We are also happy to consider requests for other areas that may benefit from the service."

The cleaning programme is taking a phased approach, focusing initially on high-footfall areas of town centres, and busy shopping areas where historic chewing gum build-up is most significant.

This is the latest in a series of successful projects delivered by our new Street Scene team, helping to keep our towns and villages across the Vale looking their best.