Almost £1million is set to be spent cleaning up our streets – despite claims that 97 per cent of them are already spic and span.

A cash boost of £800,000 is set to be passed by Tower Hamlets Council on Thursday in a bid to tackle “dirty streets and fly tipping”.

Proposals include £70,000 allocated to “educate” residents as to how the Council is keeping streets clean.

The spending has prompted allegations of a “U-turn” from opposition councillors, after Mayor Lutfur Rahman had boasted that almost all the borough’s streets were free of litter.

Labour’s spokesperson for the environment Cllr Shiria Khatun said: “All year we have been telling the Mayor that his policies were leading to dirtier streets for residents.

“If the streets were 97 per cent litter free like he says then why is he now spending nearly a million pounds on a borough-wide deep clean? Spending £70,000 to tell residents their streets are clean won’t change the reality of dirtier streets and more fly-tipping.”

Opposition councillors criticised the introduction of charges for bulk waste collection in last year’s budget, claiming it has increased fly-tipping.

But a council spokesperson pointed to the borough’s four star rating in the Clean Britain Awards, run by the Chartered Institute of Waste Management in July last year.

Cabinet member for the environment Cllr Shahed Ali added: “Only Tower Hamlets Labour could see an investment in street cleaning as a sign of failure.

“In fact our streets were recently rated among the cleanest in the country. They didn’t get that way by accident either but because of investments like the £800,000 the Mayor is putting in this year for another borough-wide clean.”

Is your street clean? Send us your views and photos to ela.editorial@archant.co.uk