A COUNCIL has introduced measures in response to a critical report of its environmental services.

According to a report from the Audit Commission on the service provided by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, people are very dissatisfied with overall cleanliness and the condition of some roads and footpaths.

Low recycling levels were also criticised, although grass cutting and refuse collection services were praised.

Overall, the council was left with just one star out of a possible three.

Audit Commission senior manager, Sarah Diggle, said: "Overall the quality of services is mixed and public satisfaction varies.

"Refuse collection and grounds maintenance are performing well, while others, such as street cleaning and road maintenance, should be better."

The council plans to improve the situation within 12 months by splitting the borough into seven geographical areas, which will each have an environmental team and a manager.

Cabinet member for environmental improvement, Barbara Harpham, said: "Our plans will mean local people having a bigger say in what happens in their neighbourhood and a better response to what they actually want."

Opposition Labour leader George Dunning said the street cleaning problem stems from service level agreements between the council and the housing association Coast and Country Housing, which took over the ownership and management of council houses in the area last year.

"Residents just don't know who is in charge of their cleaning," he said.

Director of business and property services for Coast and Country Housing, Nick Atkinson, agreed there were some complicated areas of joint responsibility.

"We need to be sure that areas are not being cleaned twice, although we hope there are no areas which are being missed completely," he said. "The situation should be resolved within the next three months."