MORE communities across Hampshire will be looking prettier after a scheme allowing them get spruced up was given a £30,000 cash injection.

Hampshire County Council provides funding for parish and town councils to employ a local ‘lengthsman’ who takes on maintenance tasks such as cutting back hedges, cleaning signs and clearing ditches.

The term ‘lengthsman’ dates back to the 1800s, referring to workers who were responsible for keeping a particular length of road neat and tidy. 

The modern role of Parish Lengthsman was reintroduced in 2010.

In just a few years the scheme has grown from covering a handful of parishes, to encompassing more than half the county.

The county council has generally allocated £1,000 per year to all participating town and parish councils in order to employ a lengthsman. 

Now more can be employed after the county council’s executive member for environment and transport, Councillor Rob Humby extended the scheme.

Cllr Humby said: “We’re really pleased to be able to introduce our Town and Parish Councils to an effective, community-based solution to local, immediate maintenance jobs, and support them to take it up.

“I am pleased to announce that the County Council is making further opportunities available for 2016/17, for new parishes to engage with the scheme this financial year.”