I just want to remind residents that Havering Council introduced in June 2023 an enforcement team to crack down on litter louts.

The uniformed officers can hand out FPNs to those found littering and fly-tipping. It also includes enforcement on not clearing up dog mess and being in breach of the councils PSPOs (Public Space Protection Orders).

They will also be responsible for locking and unlocking park gates. NES (National Enforcement Solutions) provides the officers to work on behalf of the Council. They will work alongside our existing enforcement team to help make the borough safer and cleaner. Income from fines will pay for the service and will also contribute towards the wider enforcement team and other educational and environmental projects.

Officers can issue 319 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) to people found littering including dropping chewing gum and cigarette butts. The officers have been in Romford Town Centre where the level of littering is high, but they will also be patrolling other parts of the borough too. The fines are set at around £150 for littering but officers can also issue other fines of up to £400 for fly-tipping and commercial waste offences. Officers will implement a zero approach to anyone littering, not clearing up after their dogs and illegally dumping waste.

The extra resource will be an extra pair of eyes and ears when working in partnership with police and other organisations. The council has stated that the new team will be collaborating closely with the Council’s own internal enforcement team to gather intelligence around hotspots. Thus, helping council officers to free up their time to tackle more complex issues.