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Members of the Rainbow Coalition running the council made improving ‘the public realm’ in Neath Port Talbot one of their early priorities and in December last year the Coalition Cabinet approved a £4.2m programme of work to get it done.

The money comes from additional Welsh Government funding and the council’s approved spending programme.

The Clean Up and Green Up programme is designed to make improvements in areas including public toilets, improved grass mowing, the sprucing up of playgrounds and green spaces and bus shelters.

It also involves footbridge and footpath maintenance, tree management and ad-hoc improvements to places including the Aberavon Seafront, the Talbot Memorial Park and Victoria Gardens bus station to name just a few.

Money is also being spent on Gnoll Country Park and more than £1m is going on improved highways (jet patching of rural lanes, extra surfacing in the valleys and the use of pothole repair machinery).

Cllr Scott Jones, Neath Port Talbot Council’s cabinet member for Streetscene, said: “The £4.2m Clean Up and Green Up programme is now going on throughout our towns, valleys and villages with these new sweepers being the latest equipment to help our staff make a difference.

“Neath Port Talbot Residents told the coalition when it first came into power that they wanted safe, clean and attractive neighbourhoods in our towns, valleys and villages and the coalition has responded to that and continues to do so.”

Cllr Jones was joined in Alltwen and Ystalyfera this month by Council Deputy Leader, Cllr Alun Llewelyn and the Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Early Years, Cllr Nia Jenkiins,, who got a close look at the new sweepers in action following their delivery.