Issue - meetings

Environmental Crime Enforcement Update

Meeting: 12/10/2022 - Cabinet (Item 34)

34 Environmental Crime Enforcement Update Report pdf icon PDF 131 KB

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment updating Members on the Council’s approach to the enforcement of environmental crime within Gloucester.

Decision:

RESOLVED that the actions being taken to prevent or reduce the environmental crime within the City of Gloucester are noted.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment that updated Members on the Council’s approach to the enforcement of environmental crime within Gloucester.

 

The Cabinet Member for Environment outlined the background to the report.  He referred to education and prevention as well as the enforcement elements.  The Cabinet Member for Environment noted that whereas 966 Fixed Penalty Notices had been issued in 2021, 740 have been given out so far in 2022 demonstrating that in his opinion an effective job was being done.  He advised that council officers complemented 3GS to cover more areas including dog fouling where he was pleased to see action being taken and warnings issued.  The Cabinet Member for Environment drew Members’ attention to the appointment of a co-ordinator (3.4.1) and the benefit of teams working together as they had when over 2,000 households across Barton and Tredworth were engaged with in July 2022 as part of a project educating residents on waste management (3.3.3-4).

 

The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure informed Members that he was impressed with the dedication and passion demonstrated by the enforcement officers.  He commented on the importance of a clean city to attracting visitors and that people should expect a fine if they made a mess.  The Cabinet Member for Environment advised that the £1 million spent tackling litter each year would be better used elsewhere if those problems did not exist.  He noted that fines in themselves educated people and that most residents supported the policy.

 

RESOLVED that the actions being taken to prevent or reduce the environmental crime within the City of Gloucester are noted.

 


Meeting: 03/10/2022 - Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Item 41)

41 Environmental Crime Enforcement Update pdf icon PDF 131 KB

To consider the report of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Environment updating Members of the activities of the Environmental Crime Team in 2021-22.

Minutes:

41.1    Councillor Cook outlined the report and the methods of investigated environmental crime. He informed Members that the Council was in the process of recruiting a new co-ordinator who would assist with enforcement activity. The Chair agreed that it was a good scheme as, previously such matters would be dealt with, but that investigation and enforcement may have been lacking.

 

41.2    The City Centre Manager stated that the purpose of enforcement was so that, in the future enforcement would not be necessary as it would act as a deterrent to committing future offences. He advised that such enforcement was conducted on an ad hoc basis prior to the formation of the team and that there was now a significant level of enforcement.

 

41.3    The City Centre Manager, following a query from the Chair regarding whether the scheme was self-financing, confirmed that there was funding from the Council and one post was funded by the County Council.

 

41.4    Councillor Pullen asked how successful the contractor had been in educating and informing residents and business with regard to environmental crime. The City Centre Manager informed Members that the Council had managed to deploy 3GS to other parts and issue fines which had enabled Council officers to conduct outreach work in the community. He cited that, for example, in Barton and Tredworth, some issues had arisen as a result of business not having trade waste agreements in place. 3GS had been utilised to check this as a first point of contact and in some cases, fines had been issued subsequently.

 

41.5    Councillor Wilson asked whether 3GS would lose money as a result of being successful in its enforcement activity. Councillor Cook advised that the role of the Council was to keep the City’s streets clean.

 

41.6    In response to queries from Councillor Pullen, the City Centre explained that the responsibility for fly-tipping on private land was that of the owner of the land and that, in some cases, owners had been advised that if they were to engage in secondary fly-tipping, they themselves would be open to prosecution.

 

41.7 The City Centre Manager confirmed that the Council had use of three CCTV cameras as well as the ability to use footage obtain by police cameras.

 

41.8    Councillor Dee queried whether the booking system at the Hempsted recycling centre could be linked to fly tipping. Councillor Cook shared that he did not believe this to be the case and that availability was very good.

 

41.9    Councillor Castle asked whether it would be possible to book attendance at the recycling centre in person. Councillor Cook advised that this was run by the County Council and that it was this body which should be approached with such a suggestion.

 

41.10  RESOLVED that:- The Overview and Scrutiny Committee NOTE the report.