Enforcement Patrols to Start after Litter Blights Sports Pitches

Dacorum Borough Council is reminding the public to take their rubbish home with them after litter is continuously left on and around sports pitches after games at weekends.

The Council is seeing increasing amounts of litter being left at playgrounds, parks and pitches. The issue has been highlighted by their own Clean, Safe and Green team as well as local sports clubs and the Boxmoor Trust.

The vast majority of this litter being made up of discarded plastic sports drinks bottles, cans, coffee cups and food wrappers on football and rugby pitches which are clearly being left by players and spectators. This level of littering requires extra resources to clean up, costing the council tax payer money, and is damaging to the environment.

As a result, the Council has asked their partner District Enforcement, to start patrolling these areas over the weekend. District Enforcement Officers have the power to fine anyone who drops litter a fixed penalty notice of £80.

Cllr Julie Banks, Portfolio Holder for Community and Regulatory Services, said: ‘It’s appalling that our pitches and playgrounds, which are a vital resource that supports the health and wellbeing of residents, are being left strewn with rubbish over the weekend. I know many individuals and teams take responsibility for clearing up the pitches but recently we have seen problems increase.

‘We have asked District Enforcement to patrol these areas as a result and to make sure that we send a clear message that we respect our parks and public spaces and that littering will not be tolerated.

‘We are asking members of the public to please take your rubbish away with you or put it in a nearby bin to keep the area tidy for everyone.’

Since the beginning of November, the Council has upped its commitment to making Dacorum a cleaner and safer place to live, work and visit by partnering with District Enforcement, a company that specialises in environmental enforcement. District Enforcement patrol the Borough 7 days a week and have the powers to issue on the spot Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) of £80 should they witness people littering, failing to clean up after their dog or breaching local Public Space Protection Orders.

For more information please visit www.dacorum.gov.uk/district-enforcement.