‘Zero-tolerance’ approach promised
THE firm tasked with enforcing litter laws in Hyndburn will impose a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to keeping our streets clean and tidy.
Targeting Accrington, Great Harwood and Oswaldtwistle town centres at first, Kingdom Services will have the power to deliver £75 on-the-spot penalty notices to anyone caught littering.
It is not yet known how many officers will be deployed in the borough, although it has been confirmed the company is provisionally set to start operating from October 1.
Kingdom will collect 90 per cent of fine revenues under the scheme, with the remainder taken by Hyndburn council.
John Foley, a market trader in Liverpool, has launched the ‘Litter PLOD Kingdom Liverpool’ Facebook group - which campaigns against some of the officers’ alleged actions.
He told the Liverpool Echo: “No-one likes litter, certainly not me, I don’t agree with people dropping cigarettes - but when you get a private company coming in and putting profit as a priority, it’s not right.”
North Wales Against Kingdom Security, set up by B&B owner Peter Rourke, has been campaigning against Kingdom for more than a year.
In Hyndburn, there will be a ‘public education’ period for the first two weeks on Kingdom’s operations before any fixed penalty notices are given.
Hyndburn council leader Coun Miles Parkinson says the council will be raising awareness of the need for people to dispose of litter responsibly and clean up after their dogs during this period. He said the council had a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to litter but they would ensure fairness.
Coun Parkinson said: “We really don’t want to be issuing tickets - we’d love to be able to just say to people ‘don’t drop litter’ but that doesn’t work.
“We live in a society where people think it’s okay to throw cigarette butts on the floor and other litter when it simply isn’t - we want to send a strong message to people.
“The contract will be reviewed regularly and if it is not working as it should then we will let Kingdom know that.”
Coun Jim Smith, executive member for environment for Blackburn with Darwen council, said: “Kingdom are lawfully operating on the council’s behalf to enforce litter and dog fouling legislation in the borough.
“We are very happy with the service and it has provided some great results including dog fouling penalties increasing from around five a year to 34 since October and around 500 people being prosecuted for littering offences.”