TRAFFORD’S Labour and Conservative groups have clashed over the controversial decision to bin the council’s environmental enforcement team.

The team carries out a range of duties in a bid to keep the borough’s streets clean, working with other agencies to combat everything from fly-tipping and littering to dog fouling.

The decision was made at a meeting of the council’s executive on Tuesday and, according to Trafford’s Labour group, the decision that has been widely criticised by community groups like Sale Wombles and Goregous Gorse Hill.

Cllr Steve Adshead, Labour’s environment spokesman, said: “The council is saying we want you to litter pick and replant our abandoned flower beds, but we’ll do nothing to stop the persisent litterers from ruining your good work.

“This Tory decision is a kick in the teeth to all those community groups who have stepped up to the challenge to take ownership of their neighbourhoods.

“Without exception these community groups have condemned this proposal.

“The lack of uniformed officers in the street sends out all the wrong messages and for Trafford Tories to pretends its business as usual is ridiculous.”

But Cllr Matt Colledge, leader of Trafford Council, accused Cllr Adshead of “blatant scaremongering.”

He said: “Cllr Adshead neglects to mention the plans have a massive increase of over 100 staff now looking out for litter offenders, penalty tickets will be issued and crucially Trafford will actually go and remove fly tipping instead of leaving it with a sticker marked ‘enviro-crime’ as was the previous system. Crucially this will save tax payers hundreds of thousands of pounds a year – in opposing everything we do Labour fail to say how they would cut spending whist protecting services.”