Keeping Trumpington tidy

We are committed to keeping Trumpington’s street and open spaces as clean as possible. A street filled with litter, fly tipping or weeds is not just unsightly and diminishes residents’ pride in their neighbourhood, but it can also attract more antisocial behaviour.

Below we describe how we are tackling these challenges in a sustainable manner and within the Councils’ budget constraints.

Going Herbicide-Free

In 2021 the Liberal Democrats brought forward the motion to make Cambridge herbicide-free – a motion that was unanimously supported by all parties on the Council. The adoption of a Herbicide-Free Weed Management Programme was an important step forward.

Going herbicide-free helps:
• Protect biodiversity, including bees and other pollinators
• Reduce harmful chemicals in our soil and water
• Improve public health by limiting exposure to toxic substances

This is something we should be proud of as a city. However, it does come with trade-offs.
The new mechanical and manual weed removal methods are more environmentally friendly – but they are also significantly slower than traditional spraying. That has had real consequences, as discussed at the Overview & Scrutiny Committee in October 2025. You can watch the discussion online.

Last year, some areas in Trumpington simply did not get cleaned at all. That is not acceptable, and it must improve. We are continuing to push for better scheduling, more efficient operations, and the resources needed to deliver a reliable service.

Fly tipping

Fly-tipping is a serious offence that affects a community’s well-being and may encourage further anti-social behaviour. It is an offence that can result in fixed penalty fines of at least £500 and up to £900, and prison sentences for serious or repeat offenders.

We have identified a number of fly-tipping hotspots around Trumpington, e.g. near some recycling points. We highlighted these to Council officers and got temporary CCTV installed near some of them, e.g. in Glebe Farm, to help identify the culprits.

Even well-meaning residents cannot simply dump items next to the bins. If you witness fly-tipping, please report it immediately, providing as much information as possible, e.g. including photos.

Our Open Spaces team aims to remove reported waste within five working days and will investigate to identify the culprits. If you have any additional information regarding offenders, e.g. if you witnessed the fly-tipping, then please report it to them.

Litter Picking and Council Resources

The Council does employ staff for litter picking, but most of these resources are concentrated in the city centre. Outer areas like Trumpington often don’t get the same level of attention.

Earlier this year, the Cambridge Liberal Democrats proposed a budget amendment to increase frontline staff. Unfortunately, this was rejected by the current Labour administration.

That said, there are still ways we can all help keep our area clean.

What You Can Do
• You can report problems with litter bins, fly tipping and request a litter pick via the Council’s website.
• Organise or join a local community litter pick – these are a great way to meet neighbours and make a visible difference. You can ask the Council to help with equipment.

Our Local Efforts

Keeping Trumpington clean is a shared effort. Your local Lib Dem team is actively involved on the ground. We regularly take part in litter picking and street cleaning events across Trumpington.

We’ll continue to push for the resources our area needs, while supporting community-led action wherever possible.