Scrutiny To Consider An Alternative Solution For Environmental Enforcement

Flintshire County Council’s Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee will next week consider a report on a 12 month pilot scheme to engage an external partner to assist with the Council’s environmental enforcement duties. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Environmental crimes such as dog fouling and littering continue to be a major problem and both of these issues continue to blight the County’s parks, open spaces and streets. The new arrangement will increase the number of enforcement officers active on the streets and open spaces at any time of the week, to aid the existing Council enforcement officers in delivering a zero tolerance approach to environmental crime. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Flintshire County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Bernie Attridge, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We introduced a zero tolerance enforcement approach as part of our Business Planning process in 2015-16 and have since undertaken a extensive public engagement and awareness raising exercise, visiting businesses, particularly in town centres, and Town and Community Councils to notify them of the new more rigorous enforcement arrangements. Despite all of our efforts, the problem of littering and dog fouling remains a major issue and we are recommending that an arrangement with a private partner with a proven track record in the enforcement of environmental crime, is introduced. The impact of the proposals will be reviewed over the coming year to allow the impact on the cleanliness of our County to be assessed before a final decision is made on the provision of the service at the end of
the pilot period” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following the initial 12 month pilot arrangement, a full evaluation of the success of the arrangement will be undertaken, before a longer term contract and commitment can be organised. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Waste and Public Protection, Councillor Kevin Jones, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Many local authorities have partnered with private companies to supplement their enforcement activities. We have met national organisations with relevant experience and have received a proposal which will meet our needs on a 12 month basis. The service will be at zero cost to the Council and will provide a return of 15% on all fixed penalty notices issued. The recent beach clean-up in which we took part, organised by Keep Wales Tidy, shows that there is a real need for more action against dog fouling and littering.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​