New laws could curb litter louts

New laws could curb litter louts

4 April 2012 - by Joanne Fleming

CONCERNS over continued illegal dumping at Kennedy Square were voiced this week — coinciding with tougher powers to tackle litter louts being granted to local authorities.

Residents say they are sick of material such as fridges, bricks and dirty nappies being dumped at the rear of houses on the Downpatrick estate.

The Cleaner Neighbourhoods Act, meanwhile, will involve tougher on-the-spot fines and the issuing of Litter Clearing Notices compelling landowners to clear sites and help prevent future dumping.

One resident, who did not want to be named for fear of intimidation, said people felt “forgotten” in Kennedy Square.

“It happens all the time and goes on for ages and ages,” she said. “The council is doing nothing about it and neither is the Housing Executive.

“There are fridges, bedding, household rubbish, bricks and bottles. It is a public health hazard.”

She said she did not believe it was case of people coming in from outside the area and that local people were to blame for the fly-tipping.

Councillor Liam Johnston agreed that responsibility ultimately lay with those dumping the rubbish.

“It is people from the area,” he said. “The council come and pick up these larger goods that are being dumped and there are our recycling centres. There is absolutely no need for this.”

Councillor Johnston said the strip of land was owned privately and that the landowner did periodically come to clear it.

“Within a week it is bad again,” he said. “It is more than one household involved and they are making life very unpleasant for the rest of the residents in Kennedy Square.”

A spokeswoman for Down Council said the Cleaner Neighbourhoods Act, which came into force on Sunday, would enable them to require the occupier, or if the land is unoccupied, the owner of the land which is defaced by litter to clear it. It also means they have to take steps to prevent it from becoming heavily defaced again.

“Litter Clearing Notices replace the previous system of Litter Control Areas, can be served without prior designation of a Litter Control Area, and it is an offence not to comply with a Litter Clearing Notice; for which Fixed Penalty Notices may be issued as an alternative to prosecution,” she said.

The spokeswoman said the council would initially try to persuade the person responsible to clear the land.

“If, however, reasonable efforts to contact the occupier or owner are unsuccessful, or previous experience demonstrates that efforts to persuade him to take action are likely to be ineffective, a Litter Clearing Notice can still be issued, she said.

“Persons who are found guilty of a litter offence may be fined up to £2,500 by a court or can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice to a maximum of £80.”