Crackdown on littering and dog fouling as Dacorum Borough Council introduces Environmental Enforcement officer patrols

Litterbugs and people who don't clear up after their dogs could be hit by £80 fines as the council cracks down on problems.

Dacorum Borough Council will be taking a firmer approach to littering and dog fouling by introducing Environmental Enforcement officer patrols across the district from November.

These officers have the powers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) of £80 should they witness people littering, failing to clean up after their dog or breaching the council's Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).

Working in partnership with District Enforcement Ltd, a company that specialises in enviro-crime enforcement, officers will be patrolling the borough, in town centres including more rural areas and public open spaces.

The patrol officers will initially look to engage with residents and remind them to put their litter, cigarette butts and dog poo in a bin or take it home with them.

They will also be enforcing other offences relating to PSPOs.

As a reminder to residents and members of the public Dacorum’s PSPOs are:

In Hemel Hempstead town centre:

> Not to spit (including the discharge of chewing gum), urinate or defecate

> Not to cycle or skateboard.

A prohibition in alcohol restricted/designated public areas:

> To continue to drink alcohol in this area when asked not to do so by a Police Officer or other authorised person

All across the Borough, the Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order includes:

> Failure to remove your dog’s poo

> Failing to remove your dog’s poo at the request of an authorised officer

> Failing to carry a poo bag or other means to clean up after your dog

> Failing to put your dog on a lead at the request of an authorised officer

> Failure to keep your dog out of a fenced-off play area or keep it three metres away from any play equipment.

Cllr Julie Banks, portfolio holder for community and regulatory services said: “Littering and dog fouling are some of the most reported issues to councillors and we will be taking a more targeted and proactive approach to tackling these anti-social activities.

“Residents tell us time and again how frustrating it is to see litter, cigarette butts and dog poo out in their communities.

"Our environmental services team work extremely hard to clean up communities, but a small minority of people continue to drop litter or fail to clean up after their dog.

"As a consequence, Dacorum Borough Council is introducing proactive enforcement to target this unacceptable behaviour.

“We want people to take pride in where they live and we are confident that the professional approach of District Enforcement will help to change people’s attitudes and behaviour and reduce the amount of litter and dog poo on our streets and in our communities.

“We are really fortunate to live in a borough where so many people volunteer and take an active and valuable part in looking after their local area.

"Our Street Champions are a network of residents who have volunteered to improve the environment in their local area.

"With over 400 Street Champions now signed up, it goes from strength to strength and it shows just how much our outdoor spaces mean to the people of Dacorum.”

The council have given District Enforcement the powers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices of £80 for littering and PSPO breaches. Should the FPN not be paid, the offender could face prosecution and a much larger fine.

Environmental Crime Officers receive intensive training and ongoing professional development to maintain high standards. They will also wear body cameras to capture interaction between Officers and members of the public.

Dyl Kurpil, managing director at District Enforcement, welcomed the partnership, he said: "District Enforcement is excited to be working in partnership with Dacorum Borough Council and play our part in keeping such a beautiful borough clean and tidy, with our sole ambition to reduce the amount of littering and dog fouling on the streets.

“We have a dedicated team of officers who will, on a daily basis, patrol the whole borough and take a fair and proportionate approach to the issuance of a fixed penalty notice for any environmental crime offences they witness.”