Environmental Crime - Freedom of Information Requests

Disclosure Log - Environmental Crime

Abandoned vehicles
Fly-tipping
Fly-posting
Dog fouling
Graffiti
Littering

2024

March

Reference: 2611804

Subject:

How many complaints have you had in the last 12 months (March 2023-March 2024) about dog poo/dog waste being reported in public areas - i.e. in parks, on pavements, walkways, public fields?
How many complaints have you had in the last 12 months (March 2023-March 2024) about dog poo/dog waste being reported on private property - i.e. someone’s front garden, driveway, path?
How many complaints did you have in the 12 months prior (March 2022-March 2023) about dog poo/dog waste being reported in public areas?
How many complaints did you have in the 12 months prior (March 2022-March 2023) about dog poo/dog waste being reported on private property - i.e. someone’s front garden, driveway, path?
How many people were prosecuted or issued with a fixed penalty notice for not cleaning up dog waste/dog poo between March 2023-March 2024?
How many people were prosecuted or issued with a fixed penalty notice for not cleaning up dog waste/dog poo between March 2022-March 2023?
How many dog poo/dog waste bins do you have, as of March 2024? This includes dedicated dog poo/dog waste bins as well as public litter bins that accept dog waste
How many dog poo/dog waste bins do you have, as of March 2023? This includes dedicated dog poo/dog waste bins as well as public litter bins that accept dog waste
Do you have any plans to increase the number of dog poo/dog waste bins?
Do you have any plans to decrease the number of dog poo/dog waste bins?
If so, on either question 9 or 10, by how many - please state a number rather than a percentage.

Response date: 7 March 2024

Response: Response to this request - 2611804.

Reference: 2597790

Subject:

CPNs

1. Please state the number of Community Protection Notices (CPNs) issued by your authority in the period November 2022-October 2023. Please also state the number of Community Protection Warnings (CPWs) issued within this period.

2. If possible, please state the subject of these CPNs/CPWs - for example, by providing the texts, or stating the subject matter of the orders (e.g. Litter, waste, ASB).

3. Please state the number of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued for the offence of breach of CPN between November 2022-October 2023.

PSPOs

4. Please state the number of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued for the offence of violating a PSPO in the calendar year 2023.

5. Where possible, please state the offences for which these PSPO FPNs were issued (eg begging, alcohol, dog control, dispersal).

6. Please state whether these PSPO FPNs were issued by a private company (Y/N).

Political campaigning in public spaces

7. Please state whether your council has an area in the town centre where people could put up a political stall (for example, a political party or campaigning organisation).

8. If so, would a fee be required? What is the amount of this fee?

9. Please specify if anything else is required for a political stall (eg public liability insurance, or completion of an application form). If there is an application form, please provide a copy of the form.

Response date: 1 March 2024

Response: Response to this request - 2597790.

February

Reference: 2569553

Subject:

Are you able to provide the name of any company that the council contract to supply enforcement activities on their behalf.

Are you able to provide that information for Environmental Crimes such as Litter, Dog Fouling and Fly-tipping. Also, any companies that provide parking enforcement of any type and debt collection or recovery. If any are outsourced, could you provide the contact’s name of the service manager or department
If they are provided in house, could you just respond with that information and provide the name of the service manager or department.

Response date: 1 February 2024

Response: Response to this request - 2569553.

2023

September

Reference: 1847417

Subject:

Please could you provide figures for the number of reports

Fixed penalty notices (FPNs)
Prosecutions
Fines relating to dog fouling

Response date: 27 September 2023

Response: Response to this request - 1847417.

Reference: 1843235

Subject:

I would like to thank you for the provided response to our FOI Request. I kindly request the following, for years 2019/2020 – 2020/2021) in relation to fly tipping only.

How many incidents of Fly - Tipping were reported to you in each of the years 2019-20 and 2020-21?
How much did it cost in each year to collect and dispose of the Fly-tipped material?
How many prosecutions / Penalties were undertaken by you in respect of the Fly-Tipping in each of the years 2019-20 and 2020-21?

Response date: 6 September 2023

Response: Response to this request - 1843235.

May

Reference: 1110334

Subject:

Please could you provide the following information regarding litter & enforcement in your council area: Littering Fine Value:

Do you issue fines for littering? YES/NO
If so, at what level do you levy fines?
The Government said in March 2023 that they are increasing the upper limit on fines for littering to £500.
1. Will you be levying fines at this level?
2. If not, at what level will you levy fines for littering? Enforcement & Statistics:
Do you use an in-house team or private enforcement company to issue fines for littering?
How many fines (FPNs) for littering were issued in your council area in 2021/2022?
How many fines (FPNs) for car parking were issued in your council area in 2021/2022?

Response date: 19 May 2023

Response: Response to this request - 1110334.

March

Reference: 1079503

Subject:

From March 2019 to March 2023, how many fixed penalty notices (FPNs) were issued to people for feeding ducks in public places by enforcement officers working for/acting on behalf of the council?

Please provide a breakdown of each FPN, including

the location, date of issue,
FPN amount,
the official reason for the FPN,
powers under which it was issued,
whether the FPN was paid,
and whether it was appealed, rescinded before payment, or later refunded.

Please also include FPNs issued in error (e.g fines incorrectly issued for littering or fly-tipping to someone who was lawfully bird feeding).

How many people were prosecuted for non-payment of FPNs related to bird feeding and what was the outcome of these proceedings?

If there are any further details recorded which provide context regarding the nature and circumstances of the individual fines please also provide this if possible within cost/time limits.

Response date: 31 March 2023

Response: Response to this request - 1079503.

Reference: 1076709

Subject:

How many FPNS have been issued against homeless people in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023? If available, please break this down by year and restriction.

Do you record data about how warnings and breaches of the PSPO are broken down into the protected characteristics covered by the Equality Impact Assessments (EIA)? If so, please supply this data.

Please either attach copies of your current PSPOs or confirm that those on the PSPO section of your council website are up to date.

Were the street homeless community involved in consultations for PSPOs that might affect them – for example, those that restrict begging, obstruction of premises, public urination and defecation?

Do you have any specific guidelines or training for officers enforcing PSPOs that impact the homeless community - such as on mental health or signposting to services?

Are any measures in place to prevent PSPOs from having a disproportionate impact on the homeless community?

What steps does the council take to monitor PSPOs to ensure that the recommendations of the EIA are being followed?

Is there a process in place for handling complaints following warnings and breaches of the PSPO? If so, please send over any documentation outlining this process.

Do any of your PSPOs include dispersal powers?

Please provide the number of warnings issued for Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. If this data is available, please provide a breakdown of these warnings by restriction.

Response date: 31 March 2023

Response: Response to this request - 1076709.

February

Reference: 1006791

Subject:

I am interested in the total number of environmental enforcement Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) that have been issued by your council in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Could this also be broken down by:

The offence each environmental enforcement FPN was issued
The value of each penalty issued
Whether each penalty was paid by the offender

Response date: 3 February 2023

Response: Response to this request - 1006791.

Reference: 1008839

Subject:

Please state the number of Community Protection Notices (CPNs) issued by your authority in the period November 2020-October 2021; and also the period November 2021-October 2022. Please also state the number of Community Protection Warnings (CPWs) issued within these periods.
If possible, please state the subject of these CPNs - for example, by providing the texts, or stating the subject matter of the orders (e.g. Litter, waste, ASB).
Please state whether you have a procedure for considering written representations requesting the varying or discharging of CPNs (outside of Magistrate Court appeal).
Please state the total number of Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) issued by your authority. Where possible, please provide a web link for the texts of these PSPOs.
Please state the number of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued for the offence of violating a PSPO in the calendar years 2021 and 2022. Where possible, please state the offences for which these FPNs were issued (eg begging, alcohol, dog control, dispersal).
Please state if you contract a private enforcement company for issuing penalties for environmental or anti-social behaviour offences (e.g. Littering or PSPOs).

Response date: 3 February 2023

Response: Response to this request - 1008839.

January

Reference: 1004635

Subject:

Does the Council deliver on-the-ground enforcement functions such as issuing fixed penalty notices for anti-social behaviour, littering and fly-tipping, and if so, how (directly, contracted out, etc.)?
Does the Council deal with abandoned and/or untaxed vehicles, if so, how?
Does the Council deal with unlawful encampments and traveller incursions, if so, how?
If yes to either 1, 2 or 3, does an enforcement strategy exist, and can this be provided?
In the last 5 financial years, how much has your authority recovered through Fixed Penalty Notices, fines and other actions as a result of enforcement action for these activities?
In the last 5 financial years, how much has been spent on delivering these enforcement activities (for ease, if these form the substantive part of a department or team’s responsibilities, please provide its combined net revenue budget)?
Please provide any internal email correspondence and documents (including service reviews and committee reports) which relate to any consideration of reviewing expenditure on the aforementioned enforcement functions within the last 2 years.

Response date: 26 January 2023

Response: Response to this request - 1004635.

2022

December

Reference: 972205

Subject:

How many fines have your council issued in regards to ‘fly-tipping’ between the dates of 25 December until the 29 of January of 2019, 2020 and 2021
How much in pounds (£) and pence (.p) were each of these fines
How many of these fines were paid on time

Response date: 2 December 2022

Response: Response to this request - 972205.

August

Reference: 933347

Subject:

How much is the FPN for dog fouling?

How many fixed penalty notices for dog fouling were issued in:

2019
2020
2021
And 2022 to date.

How many fixed penalty notices for dog fouling were paid in full in:

2019
2020
2021
And 2022 to date.

Response date: 23 August 2022

Response: Response to this request - 933347.

April

Reference: 854017

Subject:

Please state if your council currently employs, or has recently employed, a private company for issuing fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for environmental or anti-social behaviour offences? If so, please state the name of the company.
Please state the offences for which the private company is contracted to issue FPNs (for example, littering, PSPOs, A-boards, fly posting).
Please state all FPNs issued by the company in the financial year 1 April 2021 - 31 March 2022. If possible, please state the number and value of the penalties issued, and the offences for which they were issued. (Note, please provide the data in the form in which you hold it; this is not a request for you to carry out independent or new research).
Please state the nature of the financial arrangement between your council and the company for the issuing of FPNs (for example, the percentage split of issued or paid FPNs, or an hourly rate). Please additionally provide the contract between yourself and the private company.
(Note that the disclosure of contracts is required by Defra Effective Enforcement Code of Practice, p30: ‘Where external contractors are used, the full text of such contracts/legal agreements, should be placed in the public domain by the council…. The Local Government Transparency Code already requires that councils falling under the Code publish contracts over £5,000 and discourages the use of commercial confidentiality clauses to prevent such publication.’
GOV.UK Effective Enforcement).
Please provide the council report that justified the decision to contract the private company for the issuing of FPNs (for example, the report to cabinet or to a scrutiny committee).
Please state whether appeals of FPNs are considered by the council or by the private company.
Please state the number of council prosecutions for the non-payment of FPNs issued by the private company in the year 1 April 2021 - 31 March 2022. If possible, please state any amounts awarded to the council as a result of these cases (for example, legal costs and other awards).
Please state the income received by the private company for the issuing of FPNs on behalf of your council between 1 April 2021 - 31 March 2022.
Please state the income received by the council resulting from FPNs issued by the private company between 1 April 2021 - 31 March 2022. Please state what this FPN income is used for (e.g. Payment of salaries in the environmental department, particular public projects, street cleaning).

Response date: 20 April 2022

Response: Response to this request - 854017.

Reference: A1346674

Subject:

Do you have a private provider for Environmental services?
Who is your Provider?
How many officers are in your team?
When does the contract come to an end?
How many litter FPN have you issued in the last 12 months
How many fly tipping incidents have you investigated?
How many FPNs for Fly tipping have you issued?
Do you Use CCTV to investigate Fly tipping?
Who is your Provider for CCTV equipment?
When does your CCTV provides contract come to an end?
How many business compliance visits does the council complete per year?
How many FPN for your PSPO have you issued?

Response date: 6 April 2022

Response: Response to this request - A1346674.

Reference: A1346659

Subject:

How many complaints to your council have you received for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021 regarding dog waste on public land (Please provide a breakdown of figures for each year)?
How many prosecutions has the council issued to members of the public whose dogs have been caught fowling on public land between 2019, 2020 and 2021 (Please provide a breakdown of figures for each year)?
Do you provide free dog poo bags to council tax payers (and if you previously did, when did you stop providing them free of charge)?
How many council employees are authorised to issue fixed penalty notices with regard to The Dog fouling act?

Response date: 4 April 2022

Response: Response to this request - A1346659.

March

Reference: A1346436

Subject:

Please may you provide me with data on:

Total number of fly tipping incidents in 2020/2021 and 2022 to date per area under your authority, if possible (per waste type, specifically involving electrical and electronic items)
Total cost of removal for fly-tipping incidents in 2020/2021 and 2022 (to date, if possible)

Response date: 8 March 2022

Response: Response to this request - A1346436.

February

Reference: A1346384

Subject: This is an information request relating to the cost of removing swastika graffiti.

Please include the information for each of the following periods; 2018-19; 2019-20; 2020-21; 2021-22:

The number of graffiti swastikas removed by the council for each year
The cost of removing the swastikas for each year

Response date: 4 February 2022

Response: Response to this request - A1346384.

2021

December

Reference: A1346073

Subject:

How many incidents of illegal dumping of rubbish (also commonly known as fly dumping or fly tipping) occurred within the jurisdiction of your authority during the whole of last year (2020)?
How many incidents of illegal dumping of rubbish (also commonly known as fly dumping or fly tipping) occurred within the jurisdiction of your authority have occurred since the beginning of 2021?
How many incidents of illegal dumping of rubbish (also commonly known as fly dumping or fly tipping) were reported by the public to your jurisdiction during the whole of last year (2020)?
How many incidents of illegal dumping of rubbish (also commonly known as fly dumping or fly tipping) have been reported by the public to your jurisdiction since the beginning of 2021?
What was the cost of clearing illegal dumping (also commonly known as fly dumping or fly tipping) to your authority during the whole of last year ( 2020)
What was the cost of clearing illegal dumping (also commonly known as fly dumping or fly tipping) to your authority since the beginning of 2021?

Response date: 16 December 2021

Response: Response to this request - A1346073.

November

Reference: A1346066

Subject:

A copy of the original agreement signed by Council and Waste Investigations Support & Enforcement LTD (WISE) together with the associated Terms and Conditions;
A copy of any amendments agreed and signed following the presentation to Council’s Community Scrutiny Group on or around 22 July 2021;
In the period since the original trial began how many cases were.
1. referred for prosecution
2. successfully prosecuted
3. unsuccessful in the attempt to prosecute

Response date: 26 November 2021

Response: Response to this request - A1346066.