Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Private Uniformed Officers to Police Litterbugs and Fly-Tippers in Haringey
People who litter in Haringey are to face tougher enforcement action as part of a new trial announced by the Council last week.
During a nine month trial starting on 21st of this month a new team of uniformed officers will patrol the streets handing out fines ranging from £80 to £400 to anyone aged 18 or over who is seen dropping or dumping rubbish or allowing their dogs to foul the streets.
The new regime will include handing out fines to anyone who drops chewing gum or cigarette butts. The officers will wear body cameras with footage used as evidence if required. People under the age of 18 will have their names and address taken for a letter to be issued to their parents.
The uniformed officers will be employed by Kingdom Security. The contract with the company is expected to cost £120,000 per year with the costs covered by money received from penalties issued.
Last year 586 fixed-penalty notices were issued for littering in Haringey. If the same number were to be fined in the coming year, this would generate an income of between £46,000 and almost a £¼M. Of course if detection rates increase significantly, a much higher sum could be expected.
Whilst more attention to littering will be welcome, there are reasons to give a cautious welcome to the new scheme. Kingdom Security claim in their promotional material that the environmental division is "led by experienced experts with police and military backgrounds" and recent press coverage suggests that their powers may sometimes be exercised with too little restraint.
Last year Maidstone Council suspended the operations of Kingdom's entire litter operation after a woman was fined for feeding the ducks. The Kent Messenger reported that the "£80 fixed penalty notice was issued to a woman feeding the ducks in Tovil – because the warden insisted no birds were present at the time."
In another incident a Twitter storm was unleashed when a photographer was arrested by Kingdom Security guards for taking pictures of a Golden Wonder crisps factory. Whilst the exchange is not particularly edifying from either side, the law was on the side of the photographer and the viewpoint of the Kingdom security guard rather indefensible:
The Manifesto Club (which describes itself as campaigning against the hyperregulation of everyday life) conducted a short investigation into Kingdom Security and found that the number of fines issued by the company has increased steeply. In 2011-12, the company issued 18,690 penalty notices on behalf of 13 councils. By 2014-15, that had climbed to 42,529 fines for 16 councils.
The Manifesto Club say that "In most cases, Kingdom Security receives a portion of each fine issued, between £40 and £75 of a £75 fine (on average, the company retains £45). In some cases, councils pay Kingdom Security on an hourly or annual contract basis, but this arrangement comes with ‘projected income’ figures: that is, the arrangement is based on a certain number of fines being issued."
The precise details of the Haringey contract have not been released, but there are some worrying local precedents. In 2014-15 Enfield Council received £221,200 after 6,255 penalty notices were issued by Kingdom – but the company was paid £279,090.
Apparently the vast majority of fines are issued for cigarette butts. However, fines are also being issued by Kingdom Security officers for: spitting, handing out leaflets without a licence and smoking in Taxi or work vehicles.
Whilst Haringey's focus on litter is to be welcomed, it is also to be hoped that they have drawn up a contract designed both to curb any excesses and to ensure value for money.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Sarah on
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Actually disposing of a butt down the drain is still littering. The wording of s87 Environment Act 1990 says to "throw down, drop, or otherwise deposit". This includes depositing down a drain.
There are pocket ashtrays you can get, but that's not necessary as there are bins everywhere and most are of a design where you can extinguish a cigarette on the top of the bin and put the butt inside.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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I smoke and don't drop fag ends or put them down the drain (as they just flush into rivers). It's easy just to nip the end off into the gutter (ash, so it degrades) and then either drop the extinguished fag end into the next bin or put it back in the pack until you get home.
There used to be a lot of free Butt Packs - a kind of fireproof wallet - you could pick up. Maybe Haringey could partner with someone who produces them (the advertising on them is what pays for them) and distribute them around places selling cigarettes?
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Permalink Reply by Antoinette on
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I don't smoke in the street as a general rule but do much the same on the rare occasions that I do. I think the Butt Packs thing is an excellent idea. Who would you think an appropriate to pitch that to?
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Haringey could fund it from the proceeds of the fines. That's what Camden did.
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Cabinet Member for Environment is probably a good start Antoinette
peray.ahmet@haringey.gov.uk
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Permalink Reply by Harringay Birder on
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Sorry for the late reply but I've just seen this as the thread got bumped by Mr Fleming (ahem).
Anyway, I thought I would just clarify that neither private guards or PCSOs can arrest anyone for an offence unless it is one that can be tried in the Crown Court. Dropping litter is a matter that can only be dealt with in the magistrates' court. So as one can only use force when carrying out an arrest that is lawful, it follows that neither private guards nor PCSOs can use any force on anyone to detain the person for the crime of dropping litter.
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Permalink Reply by Maddy on
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They might well be caught on CCTV and fined by post - it happened to me once when I pulled over to answer the phone and then realised almost immediately I should not be stopping at that time. Too late - already 'snapped'! Also I believe buses have cameras on them, as a friend was caught that way in a bus lane.
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No they'll target smokers - they don't pretend otherwise. I make between 15-18 reports using the Harringay App for large and unsightly piles of rubbish and dumped furniture on a monthly basis. I've never once felt compelled to report a fag butt so I really don't consider smokers the "worst offenders" but is they who will be targeted.
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Permalink Reply by Protheroe O'Shea on
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I wonder if they will spend some time in the parks fining the dog shitters, condom droppers and barbecue folk?
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Permalink Reply by john higson on
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This is a good point. I doubt that I'm alone in preferring the idea of treading on a cigarette butt as opposed to a dog shit. And it seems to me that this problem has got worse in recent years, possibly as a sort of dirty protest to express the many disgruntlements in our society. I'm pretty disgruntled myself actually, but not a dog owner, and you'll find me almost impeccably well toilet-trained
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It's not just dog shit either. Yesterday I opted to walk to the station rather than bus due to the presence of an obviously human poo in the bus shelter.
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If they sat in Ducketts Common they'd make their entire years revenue in a day
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