Community caretakers tackling town's repair jobs

Pallister Park is one of the first places revamped by the team

A team of 16 community caretakers has begun work tackling repairs and revamps across a town.

It is hoped the initiative in Middlesbrough will help speed up the response to issues by undertaking tasks such as fixing broken fences, repainting railings, clearing overgrown weeds and tackling graffiti.

Four caretakers have been dedicated to each of the neighbourhood teams based in the north, south, east and west of the town.

Labour councillor Peter Gavigan said the caretakers were "already making a huge difference".

One of the team's first major projects was to carry out a full clean up and refurbishment at Pallister Park.

It followed concerns about the condition of the play area.

The caretakers replaced damaged equipment, cleared overgrown areas and laid fresh bark to improve safety.

More works are planned for the the park, including the repair and replacement of benches, new litter bins and graffiti removal.

Repairs to fencing, lighting and railings are also under way and trees will be cut back where they obstruct CCTV cameras.

Mayor Chris Cooke said creating the teams was a "major step towards getting back to basics" and responding to what residents want.

He said: "This is about having dedicated people on the ground doing work that will be seen and appreciated in every corner of the town."