Two women have received fines totalling more than £1,000 as North Tyneside Council takes a tough stance against littering and dog fouling.
The local authority launched its new community and public spaces protection team earlier this month.
It brings together the council’s nationally-acclaimed safer estates team with its award-winning environmental team – and it has already taken two people to court for their environmental offences.
A 25-year-old woman from North Shields has been handed a £659 fine from the magistrates’ court for dumping bags of litter in a back lane.
And another woman, who is aged 44 and also from North Shields, has been ordered to pay a charge of £495 for not picking up after her dog, and then providing a false name and address to council officers.
The action is part of a rolling programme of activity which will see the team visiting different areas of the borough, where they will take a tough stance against crime, anti-social behaviour and environmental offences.
Manager of the new team, Colin Boxshall said: “North Tyneside is a brilliant place to live and to visit and we are determined to keep it that way.
“The new team is committed to providing a top-quality anti-social behaviour service, which includes tackling environmental crime.
“The work in North Shields sends out an important message; offences such as these will not be tolerated and we will take prompt and appropriate action against those who try to spoil the borough for others.”
During the week-long visit in North Shields, the team made full use of its legislative powers and also issued three £50 fixed penalty notices to people caught littering or failing to pick up after their dogs, and another five owners were reminded of dog fouling laws.
Community Protection Notices, which require people to change their behaviour, were served to a pub for failing to remove cigarette stubs from outside the building and to a resident for fly-tipping.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
North Tyneside Council’s new community and public spaces protection team brings together its nationally-acclaimed safer estates team with its award-winning environmental team.
Community Protection Notices (CPN) are designed to stop a person aged 16 or over, business or organisation committing offences that spoil the quality of life for people living close by. Council officers and police officers can serve a CPN. CPNs can include a requirement to stop things, and/or do things or take reasonable steps to avoid any further offences.
