Green projects - including creating green roofs, investing in parks and planting trees - have helped to improve residents' perception of the area, explained council leader Terry Stacy.

He was speaking at the launch of CABE's Grey to Green campaign on 11 November, which is lobbying for a greater focus on green space jobs, a green infrastructure task force and the creation of a single, national green spaces map.

"Green infrastructure is a crucial part of what local authorities do," argued Stacy. "Funding is obviously a challenging issue in the current climate but political leadership is vital. That is about putting your money where your mouth is."

Stacy said the council is investing £6.6m in capital over the next two years, as well as £1m in revenue funding to increase the grounds maintenance contract. "It is about improving resident satisfaction and engagement," he added. "It's a hard slog, but worth going for."

Also speaking at the Grey to Green launch were CABE Space director Sarah Gaventa and landscape designer Dan Pearson.

Gaventa maintained: "We need to stop thinking of green infrastructure as nice to have and realise that it is essential."