COUNCILLORS have welcomed proposals that could revolutionise the delivery of street level services in York.

A lengthy review of services such as toilet and street cleaning, highway maintenance and grounds maintenance found that wide-ranging changes could be made.

Councillors said the streamlined services, made accessible to residents through a single street services telephone hotline, would create a faster and more flexible response to similar problems.

The Best Value Review also backed council plans to put six "street environment officers" on the streets of York to co-ordinate ground-level services. Members of City of York Council's executive yesterday voted to approve a final version of the report.

Speaking after the meeting, Coun Dave Merrett, who chairs the group, said more than 18 months of work had gone into the final draft. He said extra cash earmarked in this month's budget, coupled with added efficiency savings, would fund the sweeping changes.

Updated: 10:19 Saturday, March 08, 2003