Yellow cards for litter bugs

A pilot scheme ran over three months in the town centre from December, 2012, to February 2013, the Litter Education Initiative saw Safety Wardens being delegated powers in relation to littering including issuing yellow cards to people observed dropping litter.

Bringing a recommendation to a Council committee meeting last week for an extension of the scheme, Environmental Health Officer Sam Mills reported that a total of 16 warning notices were issued during the pilot period.

Councillors also learned that the names of people receiving yellow cards were recorded on a data base held by Environment Health to enable an officer of the Department to issue a fixed penalty if a person re-offended.

The officer also stated: “Through discussions with town centre cleansing operatives and local business community it was thought that town centre littering had decreased considerably following the initiative.”

Councillors were also told: “The Town Centre Wardens challenging litterers and issuing yellow card warnings gives a useful educational element to the general public in terms of littering.

“It is hoped that the proposed litter education initiative will maintain the current level of awareness of the consequences associated with littering, in addition that there will be a maintenance of the reduced levels of litter being dropped in the town centre.”

While last Thursday night’s committee agreed the recommendation to extend the scheme into next year, the matter will have to go before the next full meeting of Council for ratification.