Agenda item

The report informs the Committee of environmental enforcement and associated public engagement activities during 2020, including headline statistics.  (Report enclosed as Appendix B).

The report informed the Committee of environmental enforcement and associated public engagement activities during 2020, including headline statistics.  A copy of the report is attached to the signed minutes as Appendix E).

Philip Soderquest, Head of Housing and Public Protection, outlined the report, emphasising the use of the four ‘E’s’: engagement, education, encouragement and enforcement, to seek behavioural change.

Activities during the year had been limited by the Covid 19 pandemic which had meant that educational visits to schools and the Green Dog Walker programme had been unable to take place.  There was also a backlog of prosecutions, with courts not having reopened until September 2020.  Investigations had also been delayed by the lack of a Police and Criminal Evidence (PACE) interview room which met Covid Safe requirements.  This had now been constructed in October 2020.

Data was provided for 2020 in the following categories for each of the five local area councils:

·       New Green Dog Walker members.

·       Dog fouling, dog control and animal welfare complaints.

·       Enforcement actions for dog/animal control.

·       Fly tipping incidents, investigations, and enforcement statistics.

·       Targeted waste control action campaigns including advice and warning letters.

·       Accumulations on private land.

·       Littering enforcement.

The Head of Housing and Public Protection reported that vacant posts had recently been filled so the team was now working to full capacity.  An additional 3 posts were funded by service level agreements (SLA) with Town and Parish Council’s to enhance activity in those locations.  Some of the successful prosecutions which had taken place, were highlighted.

Members made the following comments:

·       Dog fouling continued to be an issue in certain areas, such as Lynemouth and Allendale; they enquired if the Green Dog Walker membership numbers could be provided at ward level.

·       Lack of engagement between Town Councils with SLAs and Enforcement Officers would be followed up.

·       Successful prosecutions should be promoted in as many ways as possible, including on local noticeboards.

·       Fines and victim surcharges should be maximised where possible.  Whilst it was frustrating that small fines appeared to be issued for in respect of successful prosecutions, magistrates had to work within sentencing guidelines and comparison made against other, more serious, offences.

The following information was provided in response to questions from members:

·       80% of the population followed the rules and behaved correctly whilst a small minority did not.  The Green Dog Walker numbers were very good given the size of the population in Northumberland.  More frustrating was the small number of dog owners, which bagged their dog’s faeces, but did not dispose of the bags correctly.

·       Members were invited to email details of times, days and locations which required targeted enforcement action where there were ongoing and persistent problems.  Witness statements and evidence were required to progress incidents to a prosecution; these were sometimes difficult to obtain from residents who were reluctant to provide them.

·       Whilst it was frustrating that small fines were issued for successful prosecutions, magistrates had to work within sentencing guidelines and comparison made against other, more serious, offences.

Officers were thanked for the clear and concise report.  Members requested that an update be received on an annual basis or a frequency determined by a future Committee, for clarity and to provide assurance.

RESOLVED that:

1.    The report be received.

2.    An update be provided to the Communities and Place OSC in approximately 12 months, depending on the agreement of future members of the committee.