Cleaner Safer Greener
On the spot fines for environmental crimes!
For the last 3 years the NDC has been working successfully with Environmental Services and local residents on a range of initiatives to make the area cleaner, greener and safer through clean-up campaigns, better street cleaning, community planting projects, and removal of hazards such as fly tipped waste or overgrown shrubbery.
In April 2006, the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act came into force, which gives Councils much greater powers to tackle environmental crime such as fly tipping, dog fouling and littering. To make the best use of these new powers, Environmental Services appointed an Environmental Education and Enforcement Officer who will work across the area.
The officer is called Debbie Morgan, and she is based in Environmental Services. Her role is wide-ranging, but the focus is on education and enforcement. This means that she works closely with local resident groups on organising community clean-ups, and also with local schools on an educational awareness programme to make young people aware of the nuisance and possible dangers of environmental crime. We also want to work more closely with students, the University, and Private Landlords to help develop a more responsible attitude towards the neighbourhood, and improve relations between students and local residents.
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The Mini Sweeper helps to keep the area litter free |
Fines for dropping dimps!
As well as an education role, Debbie also has enforcement powers under the new Act, which means that she can issue on the spot fines for dumping rubbish, dropping litter (including chewing gum and cigarette ends!), dog fouling, fly posting, and graffiti. There are hefty penalties too for fly tipping, including fines of up to £50,000 or 5 years in prison.
In practice, although Debbie is not afraid of using these powers when necessary, she says “I really want to get to know the community, including residents, schools and businesses, and work with them all to make sure that we all take responsibility for a clean environment”. She added “if we all do our bit, we really can make the area cleaner, greener and safer”. Her work is co-ordinated locally through the NDC Grimebusters Group which has local resident involvement, to help focus the work at a local level.
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We want to end sights like this around the area. |
If you know of a problem with litter or dumped rubbish, or any other environmental issue, it should always be reported first to Environmental Services – Telephone 0161-909 6500 or E-mail environment@salford.gov.uk and they will give you a ‘flare’ number. If the problem isn’t resolved, or if you need to give more information such as who you think might have dumped the rubbish, then call Debbie on the number below, quoting the job number. If you are a residents' organisation that needs help with a clean up then give her a call, and she can help with publicity and equipment, or if you are a business, and would like more information on the new legislation then call Debbie on 925 1375 or e-mail debbie.morgan@salford.gov.uk To get more information on the project, or to get involved with the Grimebusters Group call Altomesse Brown at the New Deal Team on 607 8543.
This page was last updated on 09 June 2008
