Dudley borough litter blitz raises £82,000 in fines
Council chiefs are clamping down on littering in Dudley with more than £80,000 in fines handed out in three months.
In March, April and May this year more than 1,092 notices have been issued in Dudley - compared with just 14 for the same period last year.
Each Fixed Penalty Notice issued is £75 – totalling £81,900 in fines issued over the three-month period.
It comes after a team of ex-police and military personnel with body cameras took over patrolling the borough's streets, parks and open spaces in March.
Councillor Karen Shakespeare, cabinet member for environmental services, said the council have a "zero tolerance" approach to anyone caught littering.
Kingdom Enforcement Services took on the responsibility in March. The firm has five officers on the beat plus one team leader overseeing operations during a 12-month pilot, which will also cover dog fouling from the start of this month.
The move does not cost the council, with Kingdom receiving payment directly as a percentage of the financial penalties issued to those who drop litter or fail to pick up after their pets. The local authority also retains a percentage of the income from the fixed penalty notices.
Councillor Shakespeare said: "Residents and business have told us that they want to see tougher action against those who blight our landscapes with littering and dog fouling.
“We have a zero tolerance approach towards anyone caught committing these offences and we are pleased to see Kingdom’s new enforcement getting swiftly to work.”
Mark Mountford, business manager for Kingdom, added: "Our results speak for themselves and the message is simple – if you drop litter or don’t pick up after your dogs, there is a good chance you’ll be caught and hit in the pocket.”
