Cheshire East Council has commissioned new officers to tackle the widespread issue of fly-tipping in Cheshire East.
The officers will form a team that will work to reduce fly-tipping and littering in the borough over the next 12 months.
This is in addition to the engagement work already being carried out by Cheshire East staff, who will focus on their longer-term objective of achieving the three 'e's – to engage, educate and enforce.
The officers will initially focus their efforts on Crewe but they will be responsive to situations as they develop across the borough.
The private contractors started last week and have so far handed out 232 fixed penalty notices.
Councillor Paul Bates, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for communities and health, said: "We've made our position clear on this matter. Enough is enough. The recruitment of these officers is a clear sign of how seriously we take this issue.
"We are an enforcing council but we also have a duty to ensure that we do everything we can to help people get access to the information which will stop them from fly-tipping in the future. Looking at the bigger picture, this really is as much about education as it is enforcement."
Fixed penalty notices will be issued for £80 for dog fouling and littering whilst fly-tippers will be fined £400.
If you see evidence of fly-tipping, contact Cheshire East Council on 0300 123 5021.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Please also send your task force down the path that joins Lacey Green to Manchester Rd, where dog walkers regularly let their dogs fouling & don't pick up.... It's vile.
But why do people go to the trouble of bagging the mess and then leave it to rot in the foliage?
Some faeces does get missed by dog owners, when the dog, off the lead, goes out of site. However, a warm day does see quantities of food litter and disposable bbq's left unbinned.
Neither will 'officers' (such an overused and incorrect term) help us.
WTC can sort this with the money owed to us by CE. Isn't this just the sort of thing that the Big Society was all about? Improving quality of life, civic pride? Perhaps a well built 'bouncer' in dog walker car parks, from say 8:00am to 10:00am with leaflets and 'poo bags' would be helpful. Some of the men in the photograph look suitable.
Then on fine days, have them patrolling picnic spots, with a black bag and water to extinguish the bbq's. (USA have bbq concrete bowls or stands in parks. Far end of the Carrs, i.e. the field towards Quarry Bank Mill is little used).
Like the Country Code, let us leave our parks, just as if we, or our dogs had never been there. It really is not difficult to do.
Dropping litter Dogs don't do it
Fly Tipping Dogs don't do it
Dropping Cigarettes Dogs don't do it
Pollution of the atmosphere Dogs don't do it
Hanging bags of dog poo on bushes and fences, dogs don't do it, dog owners do.
Pooing anywhere at all, dogs do do(!) it.
Once again I'm astounded by CEC statistics: did 8 "officers" really catch 232 offenders in the act, in their first week? Remarkably good, if that is the case. Keep it up, publish the names and photos of the offenders.
Only £80 fine for dog fouling seems like a bargain; there has been a sign on the lamp-post outside my house for at least 15 years saying a maximum fine of £1000 might be expected.