CALLS for Harrogate Borough Council's gumbuster machine to be used more look likely to be refused on cost grounds.

The hot water pressure washer is part of the armoury of the council's street cleaning team, but it is expensive to run.

Tory opposition councillors are dissatisfied with the state of the streets in Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough and other areas, citing particularly the amount of chewing gum which has been dropped.

The pressure washer, nicknamed the gumbuster because of the ease with which it clears the waste, should be operated more often, they have said.

But Bill Hoult, Liberal Democrat cabinet member for public works, said there was no money to increase its use without some other part of the street cleaning operation being affected.

He said the machine was used on chewing gum problem areas, with Boroughbridge and Pateley Bridge getting the treatment to help their Britain in Bloom campaigns, and was employed to clean up graffiti, fly-posting and oil and paint spills.

It was cleaning public conveniences ready for the tourist season.