Crackdown on streets of Fenland sees 184 fines handed out in first month

A man gets issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice in Wisbech town centre for dropping litter

Tidy Fenland was launched by Fenland District Council on June 1 in response to public calls for more enforcement against people damaging the local environment with littering, dog fouling and fly-tipping.

Signs have been put up in hotspot areas across the district, engagement events have been held at local markets and tough new enforcement patrols have been rolled out.

Anyone caught dropping litter or breaching the council’s new Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for dog control, which includes dog fouling, has been served with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) of £75 (£65 if paid within 21 days).

As of July 4, enforcement officers had issued a total of 184 FPNs on offenders in Wisbech, March, Chatteris and Whittlesey.

Of the FPNs issued, 175 were for cigarette litter, four for food, four for other items such as confectionary wrappers, bottles and cans and one for dog fouling.

Members of the public have also helped to inform the council’s Street Scene team of hotspot areas, with patrol rotas changing daily to reflect local concerns.

Councillor Peter Murphy, Fenland District Council’s portfolio holder for the environment, said: “As a council we have tried many ways to tackle environmental crime, but the problem has continued.

“It not only blights our towns and villages, and spoils people’s enjoyment of our district, but the cleansing of Fenland costs taxpayers £1,000 a day.

“Tidy Fenland is a much tougher approach to the issue. The public has asked for more enforcement against those responsible and the campaign is helping us to deliver that.”

The campaign is also working with local schools to help spread the Tidy Fenland message, with dog fouling posters already having been created by pupils from eight local primary schools.

Businesses are also being encouraged to sign up and make a difference to the campaign by helping to manage environmental issues near their premises.

For more information, and to report a hotspot area, contact The Street Scene Team at Fenland District Council on 01354 654321 or e-mail: [email protected].