Rubbish Roundup 10th December

Rubbish Roundup 10^th December

Litter enforcement officers have been hired to patrol the streets of the Lancashire borough of Rossendale as part of a 12-month trial to tackle litter bugs.

Officers from the private firm District Enforcement have begun issuing £75 penalties for littering, fly-tipping, and dog fouling. Two officers will patrol the borough’s streets and parks seven days per week, focusing on known litter hot spots.

The council had already been handing out fines but admitted it did not have the resources to patrol as often as it would have liked. A spokesperson said that it hopes the officers will act as a deterrent to those who drop litter.

The private firm will keep the money it earns from enforcement and it will also look after the administration and prosecution side of things so it won’t cost taxpayers anything.

The pilot was approved in October at a council meeting. The council agreed to hire a private firm that would take a proportionate approach to enforcement and take the opportunity to educate people about the consequences of environmental crime.

An anti-litter campaign in Chichester has been given a £30,000 funding boost from the council. The campaign was launched last year to tackle rubbish in public spaces and at the side of roads.

1,325 fixed penalty notices have been issued so far to people dropping litter, and 47 people have been prosecuted for failing to pay.

Over 160 groups and businesses have taken part in the scheme, particularly the ‘Adopt an Area’ initiative which encourages people to keep the areas where they live and work clean and tidy. The Green Dog Walkers scheme has also been a success, with more than 300 people signing up.

Signs were put up reminding people that littering is an offence which can result in fines, and littering has reduced dramatically in these areas.

The extra funding will be used to appoint a project officer to focus on fly tipping. Part of the anti- fly tipping initiative will involve educating people about the importance of checking whether they are using a registered waste carrier when they dispose of waste, and not just using a ‘man with a van.’

The Christmas spirit in Grimsby has been blighted this year by the state of the town’s Christmas tree. The tree’s branches are broken, baubles are missing, and it has litter strewn around its base. Now people are calling for council to take action to improve its appearance, including removing the litter from around it, which includes polystyrene takeaway trays, broken bottles and food wrappers. Residents have complained that it’s a bad reflection on the town and that people won’t want to come into the town to see it.