Islington’s street sweepers have been honoured for their “outstanding service delivery” – a year after the council introduced a new cleaning system.

Eco-charity Keep Britain Tidy (KBT) has hailed the boroughs’s new system, where 86 cleaners have their own personalised patch to deep-clean at least five times a week between Monday and Friday.

Since the overhaul, average monthly reports of dog fouling have fallen by 66 per cent and there has been a 21 pc reduction in complaints about missed streets sweeping. A recent survey by KBT also suggests Islington’s streets are at their cleanest in a decade.

Allison Ogden-Newton, chief exec at KBT, said: “Islington Council have done a fantastic job of reimagining their street-cleaning service to put customers and staff at the heart of decision making.

“Their new service focuses on the community it serves and greatly encourages face-to-face resident contact with staff, and reduces vehicle emissions that we all know will lead to improved air quality. The icing on the cake of this redesign is the increased cleanliness of each area – a real win-win for everyone.”

Islington’s environment chief, Cllr Claudia Webbe, said: “We all want our streets to be clean, and our system of dedicated neighbourhood street sweepers, each with their own beat, is making a real difference.

“We know there is always more that can be done to clean up our borough, and that’s why we’re launching this year’s spring clean campaign to give extra attention to the borough’s busiest spots, and spruce up our streets.”

Islington’s spring clean campaign runs through March and into April. For more information and to get involved click here.