Gum's The Word: Vale Council Tackles Sticky Streets
The Vale of Glamorgan Council’s newly formed Street Scene team is tackling stubborn chewing gum stains on pavements, following new funding through Keep Britain Tidy’s Chewing Gum Task Force.
The grant has enabled the Council 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.
Cllr Mark Wilson, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood and Building Services, said: “Keeping our streets and public spaces clean and welcoming is an important part of making our communities great places to live, work and visit. This new scheme has provided our Street Scene team with the specialist equipment and resources they need to tackle stubborn chewing gum stains more effectively.
“We’re very pleased to have secured this grant, particularly as one of only five councils in Wales to benefit this year, as it will help us improve the appearance of our communities by making use of external funding, rather than putting additional pressure on the Council’s core budgets.
“Everyone can play a part in keeping the Vale tidy by wrapping their used chewing gum in paper and placing it in a litter bin, or taking it home for disposal.”
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.
As it is not possible to clean every street at once, the Street Scene team will work systematically through these areas over the coming weeks.
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.