26/10/06 - Swindon Council, Hit Squads To Clean Our Streets

Councillor Justin Tomlinson, With The Free Graffiti Busting Service,
Launched By The Conservative Council

Vandals, litterbugs, fly-tippers and dog owners beware - the council has launched a hit squad to catch you.

A team of specially -trained inspectors is being formed to hand out on-the-spot fines for "enviro-crime."

Noise from a licensed premise could earn a £500 on-the-spot fine while illegal dumping would be £300.

Dumping a vehicle will set offenders back £200, while nuisance parking is expected to earn a £100 fine and noisy neighbours the same amount.

Littering, graffiti, flyposting, dog fouling or failing to nominate a business key holder would cost £80.

The council's cabinet member for local environment, Coun David Wren, said the squad would be hitting the streets almost immediately armed with powers from the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 that came in to force at the beginning of the year.

"It gives local councils the power to give fixed penalty notices to people who are anti-social," he said.

"We might have been criticised in the past for not being as strict as other councils.

"We have taken our time to look at how best to use this Act.

"Some places have gone overboard. We have had a measured approach."

The council report says on-the-spot fines are a fast and effective way to stamp out the anti-social behaviour.

"Enviro-crime can often lead to a spiralling decline in an area giving the impression that neither the council or the community care," the council report says.

"This in turn can lead to more serious crime as criminals feel that they are in an area where it is safe to operate."

One council officer will be dedicated to patrolling enviro-crime hotspots looking for offenders for the next six months.

"It's on a trial basis but more than likely it will be permanent in the future," Coun Wren, (Con, Moredon) said.

The dedicated officer will be paid for with a grant of £12,000.

The council says it is too early to say how much money the fines will raise but any income will be ploughed back in to dealing with enviro-crime.