Council get tough to create a litter free Highlands

Highland Councillors are being asked to adopt a zero tolerance approach to enforcement of littering and fly-tipping. A report to the TEC Services Committee on Thursday recommends that: _

• enforcement officers should target Inverness city and other main towns on a regular basis;

• the zero tolerance approach to enforcement should be supported
by publicity in the local media to advertise the city/towns where
enforcement is being targeted;

• the numbers of fixed penalty notices issued should be published;

• the number of staff authorised to issue Fixed Penalty Notices should be extended to include Community Wardens from Housing and Property Services;

• TEC Services and the Housing and Property Service should continue
 to work with the Police and other agencies to promote a litter free
 Highlands; and

• the effectiveness of the zero tolerance litter enforcement campaign should be monitored through the number of Fixed Penalty Notices issued.

Neil Gillies, Director of TEC Services, reported that in the 15-month period from April 2009 to June 2010 the following education and enforcement activity had been undertaken across the Council area.  Education events  - 295;  fixed penalty notices - litter 3;  fly-tipping - 18;  dog fouling - 56.

A zero tolerance campaign run over three days in August at Nairn, Dores, the Scorguie area of Inverness, and Inverness  city centre resulted in 10 fixed penalty notices being issued in the city centre.

He said: “The zero tolerance approach will see a shift from education to enforcement around our main centres of population, and Inverness city and towns across the Highlands will be targeted by our Enforcement Officers on a regular basis.

“We will continue to work with the Police and other agencies to promote a litter free Highlands. “