Monday, February 21, 2011

More stick than carrot in environmental crackdown in Kensington and Fairfield


Please see this interesting report from one of our Liverpool City Council environment team that I have just received and thought I would share with you.

Last week a team of uniformed and plain clothes Environmental Enforcement officers carried out an operation in the ward to target dog fouling.


The results of the operation are below and all are expected to be issued Fixed Penalty Notices. FPN’s are £50 for dog fouling, £75 for litter

11x Dog fouling (red on the map)
2x litter dog fouling related (ie.They picked up then threw the bags away)
16x litter (blue on the map)

Also

9 ASB issues dealt with
3 x cautions for litter (aged under16)
2x truancy check
1x police log in relation to a suspicious vehicle.

It was also quite surprising the number of young children out walking dogs unaccompanied, most of the dogs were of “strong breeds” also. One child was only 7 and he had a Staffordshire bull terrier type of dog.
We can’t issue fixed penalties to those under 16 so will need to work with the Riverside Community Wardens and other partners, to look at further education programmes in schools in the area.

These results do not mean the job is done by any stretch of the imagination but we will be better informed for our next operation and it is work in progress. Hopefully if word starts to get around about people getting fined, the increase of perception in getting caught will also have a knock on effect.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

and your opinion on this is?

Louise Baldock said...

My opinion? I think enforcement action is vital. I think that dog fouling is out of control, I think that action is urgently required for our children's health and wellbeing. I think that an operation like this, which is being carried out up and down the city, is a great start. I think the fines need to be higher and I think that the next time they come, when they will be moving towards Fairfield and tackling some of the areas around the park, will be equally successful, as well the time after that when they are in the Needham triangle etc.
And I think it is terrifying that young chldren are walking dogs on their own.
Sorry for not making all of that plainer.

Anonymous said...

and I think I agree with you! I also think a lot more of this planned obviously well co-ordinated work is essential-could do with it where I live!

Anonymous said...

couldn't the underage dog walking be tackled in dog control orders that are been discussed and bascially fine the parents for letting the children out with the dogs?

Louise Baldock said...

It's a good point and I will put it to the Cabinet Members for Community Safety and for the Environment. I am not sure they are even totally clear that this is an issue yet as we dont know if the results reported to us locally have yet been highlighted up the line. So we shall make sure that this is brought to their attention. Thanks for your comments.

Gerard said...

Ok, I'm gonna fess up now Louise, I do miss the scotty-dog shape of your ward!!!

Louise Baldock said...

I am glad you noticed! I thought I was the only one that thinks of the Phythian estate as being at the dog's nose and Newsham Park being the dog's tail...

I would love one day to annexe Kensington Fields into the ward, but it will ruin the shape!