South Ribble Enviro-Crime crackdown gathers momentum
Residents in South Ribble are showing signs of taking pride in their local area as the number of instances of littering and dog fouling have decreased.
It follows a concerted drive to crackdown on environmental offenders. Park Rangers, Canine Welfare Officers and Litter Wardens have stepped up efforts to deal with litter louts and irresponsible dog owners by issuing on-the-spot fines.
And enforcement officers are now patrolling the street on bikes to ensure more enviro-crime offenders are caught. This enables them to access hard to reach places that can often be hot-spots for fly-tipping and youths congregating and leaving large amounts of drinks litter.
Leader of the Council, Councillor Margaret Smith, said: “Residents have told us that one of their top three priorities is to live in a clean neighbourhood and we’re determined to ensure that we do everything we can to keep South Ribble looking great.”
South Ribble Borough Council has combined its increased enforcement with a campaign to encourage residents to take pride in their neighbourhood. My Place aims to get the public to take ownership of public spaces in their area and recognise that they are there for everyone to enjoy, so there is a collective responsibility to look after them.
Already the council has been reaping the benefits as the number of instances of people being fined for enviro-crimes has decreased. And a street survey by the GMB union last year found that South Ribble was the cleanest in Lancashire.
Coun Smith added: “It’s great news that there are fewer people in South Ribble inclined to drop litter or allow their dogs to foul. It shows people are truly taking pride in their local area, community and environment.”