Cathedral Square, Long Causeway and Bridge Street got an unusually concentrated dose of attention this month.

Operation Horizon brought council teams, Peterborough Positive and Cambridgeshire Police together to tackle the things residents repeatedly complain about in the city centre: litter, street drinking, antisocial behaviour, graffiti, weeds and rough sleeping.

During the operation, the council says more than 50 bags of litter were removed, fixed penalty notices were issued, rough sleepers were approached and streets were hot-washed.

The more important announcement came afterwards.

The council says the operation is now becoming a longer-term City Impact Team.

That is the part worth keeping an eye on.

A two or three-day clean-up photographs well and does wonders on social media and even local news.

The real test is what Cathedral Square, Bridge Street and the routes around the centre feel like in October, December and next spring.

Do problems get picked up quickly?

Is there a visible team?

Are businesses seeing a difference?

Do people feel more comfortable coming into town later in the day?

Peterborough residents have heard plenty of “city centre improvement” language over the years.

This one should be easy to judge without a big long debate in the council and huge expense.

Walk through town.Look around.Come back a month later.

If the difference lasts, give it credit.

If it does not, say so and make sure your local councillors get the message since we are funding this through our council taxes.

What is the first city-centre problem you would put on the new team’s list?