Back in January last year, 20 council officers were given powers to slap
£50 on-the-spot fines on the dumpers; but just 16 people have been issued with the fixed penalty for fly-posting and litter-dropping since
then.
Now campaigners, fed up with overflowing rubbish bins and litter strewn
across pavements, have launched a petition calling for more action from
Dacorum Borough Council chiefs.
Heather Clinton, of Lawn Lane, who is heading the petition, said: "Litter in this town is disgusting - chewing gum and fag butts everywhere.
"We need to get tough on this. If we hit people where it hurts, ie in their pockets, then they would think twice about doing it."
She added: "Hemel reminds me of that song 'Dirty Old Town' because it's so dirty."
The 46-year-old said she decided to take action after reading last
week's HeraldExpress story about swarms of rats spotted at the Water Gardens.
"I knew someone had to say something and when I read that story I was horrified and I certainly won't go down there again," she said.
Also fed up with dumped rubbish is 48-year-old Ken Scott, of Milton Dene, Woodhall Farm.
He said mountains of rubbish were regularly left outside his flat.
The problem is so bad Mr Scott put his house on the market, but because of the smelly debris no one wants to buy it.
He said: "Children use a playground 20 metres away and there is glass in the floor and I've seen rats.
"I am absolutely livid. My council tax goes up but the service is going down," he claimed.
In response, the leader of Dacorum Borough Council Andrew Williams acknowledged there was a problem and said comments from the public would be taken on board.
"We can never eliminate it completely, but we do have to bring it down.
If people feel we should use Fixed Penalty Notice powers we will take that view on board," he said.
Meanwhile Dacorum officers, together with other agencies, stage regular
Operation Safe and Clean blitzes in the town.
CLICK HERE and tell us what you think could be done to clean up HemelTo see what others are saying online, CLICK HEREThe full article contains 396 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
