Dog fouling Dibble set to increase as council looks at using external enforcers

Flintshire County Council are looking to employ an external enforcement company in effort to catch those who commit environmental crimes such as littering and allowing dogs to fouled open spaces, parks and pavements without cleaning up.

The council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee will consider a report into a 12 month pilot scheme to engage an external partner to assist with the Council’s environmental enforcement duties.

Environmental crimes such as dog fouling and littering continue to be a major problem in Flintshire with the issue blighting the County’s parks, open spaces and streets.

The new arrangement will increase the number of enforcement officers active on the streets and open spaces at any time of the week, to aid the existing Council enforcement officers in delivering a zero tolerance approach to environmental crime.

Flintshire County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Bernie Attridge, said:

“We introduced a zero tolerance enforcement approach as part of our Business Planning process in 2015-16 and have since undertaken a extensive public engagement and awareness raising exercise, visiting businesses, particularly in town centres, and Town and Community Councils to notify them of the new more rigorous enforcement arrangements.”

“Despite all of our efforts, the problem of littering and dog fouling remains a major issue and we are recommending that an arrangement with a private partner with a proven track record in the enforcement of environmental crime, is introduced.”

“The impact of the proposals will be reviewed over the coming year to allow the impact on the cleanliness of our County to be assessed before a final decision is made on the provision of the service at the end of the pilot period”

Following the initial 12 month pilot arrangement, a full evaluation of the success of the arrangement will be undertaken, before a longer term contract and commitment can be organised.

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Waste and Public Protection, Councillor Kevin Jones, said:

“Many local authorities have partnered with private companies to supplement their enforcement activities. We have met national organisations with relevant experience and have received a proposal which will meet our needs on a 12 month basis.”

“The service will be at zero cost to the Council and will provide a return of 15% on all fixed penalty notices issued. The recent beach clean-up in which we took part, organised by Keep Wales Tidy, shows that there is a real need for more action against dog fouling and littering.”

Is the threat of a £75 fine really enough for those who persistently let their dogs foul public spaces?

Dog owners in Spain’s capital Madrid who fail to pick up their dogs mess could be made to work as street cleaners, under new plans  by Madrid city hall.

Mayor Manuela Carmena announced last week a new zero-tolerance campaign against dog mess on the City’s pavements with a “massive” wave of fines against offending owners

Offenders will be fined €1,500 (£1160) or have the option to clean streets for a few days as a substitute, Madrid City Hall said in a statement.

Municipal police will test the scheme in the two city districts were the biggest concentration of dog excrement has been found.

Madrid City Hall said that despite repeated public awareness campaigns, including the distribution of millions of free bags to collect dog poo, there is still excrement in parks, streets and other public spaces.