LITTER

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Derby City Council is intensifying its efforts to tackle fly-tippers after figures showed that rubbish is illegally dumped somewhere in England every 35 seconds. The council says that it expects the number of incidents of fly-tipping in the city to hit 1,900 in a year. The council is preparing to spend about £80,000 in the next few months on two "hit squads" to patrol rubbish hotspots such as Aston Lane in Chellaston, Sinfin Moor Lane in Sinfin, and the Shaftesbury Industrial Estate in Derby. The council's street-cleansing budget, which covers fly-tipping, is about £2m a year. The patrols will watch out for fly-tippers from two new vans in an attempt to identify culprits and then prosecute them.

The council's move comes as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said that the most frequently dumped items were household trash, white appliances such as fridges and cookers, and rubbish from construction, demolition and home improvements. Richard Winter, assistant waste strategy officer for Derby City Council, said, "Fly-tipping ranges from a black bag on a street corner to a lorry-load of stuff dumped in a lay-by. During the past eight months or so we've started targeting areas with covert operations. No area or suburb is particularly worse than any other. But if an area has an industrial estate or if there's a lay-by, it will probably get hit by fly-tippers. I don't think Derby is any worse for fly-tipping than anywhere else I've ever been."

Binmen are to dish out on-the-spot fines of up to £100 to litter louts and other anti-social offenders after council staff were armed with new powers. Tickets will also be issued by dog wardens, park rangers, environmental health officers and car park attendants. They will carry hand-held machines and target those responsible for litter, flyposting and graffiti but will have no powers of arrest.

The council at Cheltenham, Gloucs, plans to enlist a clean-up force of 2,000. Spokesman George Rowlinson said, “We have so many people out on the streets and they’re our eyes and ears.” But civil liberties groups warned that the plan will put workers at risk. Mhairi McGhee, of Liberty, said, “It is wrong for a dustman to be policeman, judge, jury and collection officer.” The scheme has been made possible by the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill, now going through the House of Lords.

Sixteen-months old, Elliott Nightingale landed his dad with a £50 litter fine, for throwing an empty can out of his pram. It was spotted by a litter enforcement officer who pounced when he saw Elliott throw the can from his pram into a thorn bush. Elliott's father, Lee Nightingale, tried but failed to recover the can from the bush but the officer, working for Oldham Council, insisted on issuing a £50 spot fine.

Graham Boundy, principal environmental health officer for Oldham Council, said the fine was the result of a crackdown on litter. He warned, "The council's enforcement officers and police community support officers are empowered to issue fixed- penalty notices to anyone aged ten or over who is seen to commit a littering offence. The council is committed to maintaining a clean and pleasant borough for all its residents to live and work in."

Widower Keith Jones became a volunteer litter-picker to get over the death of his wife and spent two years clearing litter from a beauty spot. He has removed dozens of tyres and 1,000 bags of rubbish from woods at Tinkersale, North Wales. He had been leaving bags of collected rubbish by the roadside for the council but one householder reported him to police for dumping litter, and he was handed a £50 fixed penalty ticket for fly-tipping. North Wales Police said, "If Mr Jones wishes to challenge his ticket he can." (Source: Daily Mirror, Feb/06)

East Lothian Council has decided to scrap street cleaning services in the town of Tranent, in an attempt to make people tidier, despite the fact that they admit this breaks the law. They hope that it will stop people littering, because if they do litter then there'll be litter everywhere. A spokesman for East Lothian Council said, "Technically, what we are doing is illegal. We are being a bit naughty, but we think it is worthwhile to make our point. We will remove any dangerous litter, such as broken bottles, and food that may attract vermin." The Environmental Protection Act of 1990 makes it a legal requirement for all councils to keep their streets rubbish-free. If a resident of East Lothian takes them to court, the council could face heavy fines for failing to do its duty. And it would be the taxpayer who ends up paying. Brilliant !!! (Source: Metro, Sep/06)

Neil Barnes has been ordered to pay more than £400 after dropping a cigarette end in the street. He was seen, by an Erewash Borough Council neighbourhood warden, dropping litter in Ilkeston. The warden asked for his details in order to issue a fixed penalty notice but he refused to give his details and refused to pay the fine, which would have been £75, or £40 if paid within a fortnight. With police help, Barnes, of Town Street, Sandiacre, was identified and taken to court.

He appeared before magistrates in Ilkeston and was ordered to pay £75 for littering, and £200 and £150 for the refusal to give his details. Councillor Robert Parkinson, lead member for the environment, said, "I hope this gives a stark message that littering is an offence that will not be tolerated." It seems that refusing to give your details is a bigger offence than actually dropping litter! (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Aug/07)

A clergyman got told off from litter police for picking up rubbish from the wrong place. For years, Dale Barton witnessed fast food wrappers, bottles, plastic bags and even large items like door-frames being dumped on woodland behind his home. Eventually he and his family decided to tackle the area, collecting sacks full of rubbish after their local council failed to clear it up. He left six sacks full outside his house to be collected by binmen, but found only his household rubbish was taken away, leaving the rest behind for three days.

Rev Barton complained to Blackburn-with-Darwen Council in Lancashire, but was told off for picking up rubbish which wasn't on his property and an official told him it he should have got permission to pick the litter up. The council claimed it was no longer their responsibility to collect the sacks as they were now his property. Peter Hunt, director of environment for the Blackburn-with-Darwen Council, said, "The council would like to thank Dale Barton for his hard work and apologise to him as human error has led to a mix-up in the follow-up procedure that should have occurred." (Source: Mail on Sunday, Feb/07)

Pensioner Lazaris Michael was handed a £60 litter fine when his cigarette was knocked out of his hand as he walked past a scuffle between police and shoplifters. He had taken a single puff before his smoke was sent flying as officers apprehended two girls who were trying to flee a branch of Boots. He did not have time to bend down and pick it up before a council warden pounced on him and hit him the fixed penalty for littering in front of a large crowd. When he suggested the council should show some common sense and drop the case, they responded by threatening him with an even bigger fine if he does not pay up.

Thanet Council's environment chief Shirley Tomlinson said, "We are happy with the process that has been followed. Thanet Council's campaign warns people the council will take a zero tolerance approach to anyone who drops litter, including cigarette butts and chewing gum. If spotted, no excuses will be accepted. You will be handed a fine. It is therefore important to dispose of any litter in the right way. Our wardens have been doing what they have been instructed to do and we cannot make any allowances." (Source: Daily Mail, Dec/08)

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