Private enforcers to begin issuing on-the-spot fines to litterbugs in Northampton

Northampton Borough Council has announced it will be working with an outside company to provide uniformed enforcement officers who will patrol the streets and “tackle people who behave anti-socially.”

Leader of Northampton Borough Council, Councillor Mary Markham (Con, Park) said: “People tell us time and time again that they want Northampton to be a cleaner town and that they want us to take tougher action against people who consistently break the rules and behave anti-socially.”

Northampton Borough Council will be working in partnership with 3GS Environmental Solutions, which will provide environmental enforcement officers to work alongside council wardens in targeting litterbugs.

The service will be delivered at no-cost to Northampton Borough Council, with 3GS effectively keeping the fine money.

The officers will issue £80 fixed penalty notices, which could be reduced to £50 on prompt payment.

Failures to pay an on-the-spot fine will be treated as a criminal offence.

Councillor Markham added: “Carrying out more enforcement with a visible presence over and above the service already provided by our environmental wardens should act as a deterrent and send a very clear message that we will not tolerate behaviour that turns Northampton into an unclean and untidy town.”

Several other councils, including Brighton City Council have adopted this approach in a bid to banish Britain’s filthy streets.

The new scheme will start from April 4 .