Councillors raise concerns over number of fines for dropped cigarette butts

Members of Council’s Environmental Services Committee said that despite their previous complaints, newly-published figures show almost all Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) issued to residents in July, by National Enforcement Solutions (NES), were for dropped cigarette butts.

In May, Council announced a new partnership with private enforcement company (NES)/3GS to address environmental issues, including littering offences and illegal dumping.

During June’s Environmental Services Committee meeting – the first since the partnership was formed – members voiced frustration that NES was focussing too much on FPNs for discarded butts, which carry a fine of up to £250, while neglecting dog fouling and fly-tipping.

In response, Council officers returned a report to September’s committee, outlining FPNs issued from May to July, broken down by type of offence.

Members noted for July, 110 or more than 92% of the 119 total FPNs issued were for cigarette butts, with some members also voicing concern around the enforcement officers’ conduct when dealing with offenders.

DUP Alderman Mark Fielding said he agreed throwing away cigarette butts should be a fineable offence, but he was concerned that NES were “targeting one category”.

He also argued that NES “eagerness” to give out FPNs for butts was leading to poor treatment of residents.

Alderman Mark Fielding alleged that a business person in the Borough had reported his concerns about what the ‘rude and quite aggressive’ attitude of enforcement officers who came into his shop, following a customer who had dropped a cigarette butt down a grating outside.

“I thought getting this private enforcement was to help catch catch persons who [have committed] the offences that people contact us with – dog fouling and fly-tipping – but it seems to be soft targets,” added Alderman Fielding.

Director of Environmental Services, Aidan McPeake, said Council has had interim meetings with NES, and suggested a workshop where members could hear enforcement staff’s issues and “challenge what they’re doing”.

Alliance councillor Lee Kane said the enforcement figures for July had made him angry, as he and other members had “spent so much time” ensuring there were safeguards against single issue enforcement.

“We know that they’re standing on the street corners and sitting in the cars, watching for people smoking a cigarette and dropping it, and then getting a £200 fine,” he said. “We knew that was the easy win for the enforcement officers.

“I would have no issue with 110 cigarette butt offences being given out if we were seeing similar notices being given out for dog fouling, littering, [and] fly-tipping, so I’m really concerned and really angry about how we’ve gotten to this situation.

“I also just want to raise a question about the customer service aspect of the operatives.

“I have had some comments about the approaches taken with someone who is getting an FPN, and some of the, dare I say, heavy-handedness from those officers, so I think there’s a question we need to have around that customer service.”