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Earlier this year North Somerset Council teamed up with private company Local Authority Support to issue £75 fixed penalty notices to anyone seen breaching our public space protection orders.
The 12-month contract started in May and six trained officers have been patrolling the area since then.
Up until the beginning of August, more than 400 on-the-spot fines had been issued, compared with just 14 in the same period last year.
These include:
- 331 for littering
- 42 for dogs not being on a lead when they should
- 27 for owners breaching dog exclusion zones
- three for people urinating or defecating in a public place
- two for dog fouling.
In a survey last year, only 40 per cent of respondents thought the area was clean, and about 90 per cent agreed it was reasonable to issue on-the-spot fines to deal with dog fouling.
Cllr Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council's Executive Member for Neighbourhoods and Community Services said: "Environmental crime and anti-social behaviour can have a detrimental effect on our communities and littering and dog fouling remain a big concern for many residents.
"By working with LA Support, we are building on the great work already undertaken by officers and volunteers across the area who pick up other people's litter and keep North Somerset clean.
"By working together we will tackle this anti-social behaviour that blights our public spaces."
On-the-spot fines are paid directly to LA Support and if they are unpaid the council will prosecute through the courts.
If you are aware of particular hotspot then email waste.enforcement@n-somerset.gov.uk
You can also report locations of dog fouling using the Pooper Snooper app (https://poopersnooper.app/get-started).
The app informs the council of the worst offending areas allowing targeted patrols.
For more information about the public space protection orders visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/my-services/community-safety-crime/public-space-protection-orders.