PEMBROKESHIRE council staff issuing fixed penalty notices were furloughed during lockdown but are back at work now members of the services overview and scrutiny committee heard on Tuesday (September 22).
Any communities with a particular issue with littering and dog fouling are urged to contact the council for attention as District Enforcement gets back on the streets following lockdown.
The committee revived an updated report of a working group set up to examine the work of District Enforcement and complaints received about fines issued from Pembrokeshire County Councillor Tim Evans, who had chaired the group.
Data provided to the committee related to July 2019 to December 2019, with 2472 fixed penalty notices issues, more than half of which were for cigarette butt littering.
The most fines were issued in Haverfordwest, closely followed by Pembroke Dock and Tenby, with more than half of those caught throwing litter being men.
The members also heard that a different approach was required to deal with the ‘night-time economy’ with tickets not issued to those under the influence of “other substances” including alcohol.
Cllr Brian Hall raised concerns that he had not seen District Enforcement in Pembroke Dock for some time but heard that from November 2019 to May this year, 300 tickets were issued.
A number of councillors raised concerns in their own wards including holidaymaker rubbish by public bins or outside holiday lets, food letter at Freshwater West, beach litter and fast food litter in the countryside, and were encouraged, as are residents, to contact the council with particular areas needing attention.
Cllr Jamie Adams added: “The litter left on the beaches has been quite frightening. The sooner we get the service to be a county-wide service rather than the focus on the towns.”
Discussions with the National Park and National Trust will be held on the future funding of coastal cleaning cabinet member Cllr Cris Tomos said, with revenue from car parks on the agenda.
He added that there would also be an upcoming national campaign on reducing littering from the Welsh Government.
The committee noted the updated and the findings that highlighted that complaints were being dealt with effectively.
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