Litter crackdown in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

IF YOU drop litter, you’ll receive a £50 fixed penalty fine – that was the tough message from North Lanarkshire Council on the recent National Day of Action on Litte.

Around £9 million is spent by the council every year in clearing the streets of litter.

The counci’s team of environmental protection officers and animal welfare officers invest thousands of hours each year tackling litter, dog fouling, fly tipping and fly posting.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And that’s time and money that could be put to better use elsewhere in the community if people would simply put their litter in a bin instead of dropping it in the street.

Councillor Stephen Grant, vice-convener of the environmental services committee, stated: “Dropping litter on the streets of North Lanarkshire is thoughtless and costly and has a negative impact on our town centres and surrounding areas.

“This is why the council has adopted a zero tolerance approach to anyone dropping litter and the message is quite clear – littering will not be tolerated within North Lanarkshire, and those people that choose to do so will be caught and fined.”

And that’s why the council was happy to participate in the National Day of Action on Litter which saw local authorities throughout the UK make a concerted effort to address environmental crime.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Environmental protection officers were out in force throughout North Lanarkshire enforcing the council’s zero tolerance approach towards litter. Anyone caught dropping litter will be fined, and if they don’t pay the matter will be referred to the procurator fiscal.

Andrew McPherson, environmental health manager, explained the council’s approach: “Environmental protection officers regularly patrol litter hot spots within North Lanarkshire.

“However, through this initiative we will be doubling our efforts within these areas to ensure that people engaged in the antisocial behaviour of littering will be caught.

“With the support of our local residents we are making a real impact in improving our local areas and we will continue to take tough action against those who ruin the local environment for others.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Chief Superintendent Graham Cairns, divisional commander Strathclyde Police, also supports this initiative and stated: “People who choose to drop litter affect the quality of life of others and show no pride in their neighbourhoods.

“We will work with the council’s environmental protection officers during this initiative to detect those persons responsible.”