Agenda item

The Select Committee gave consideration to a report which detailed progress on the addition investment to the Street Cleansing Services Clean Street Initiative had made.

Oldham’s long-term strategy to tackle fly-tipping and littering recognised that people’s behaviour was strongly influenced by a range of factors in their immediate environment and unconscious thought.  The approach was designed around clear messaging and information followed by intervention and enforcement.  To support this approach, whilst tackling known flytipping hotspots, a proposal had been developed and resources identified to:

·       Increase the number of dandy cart operators by 19 to taken on the responsibility in high-density areas and give a high level of visibility to the local community;

·       The proposed dandy cart resource would be supported by an additional mobile team to ensure that any collected would be removed in a timely and efficient manner; and

·       Enhance the enforcement resource by increasing the number of enforcement officers by three.

Recruitment had taken place and the majority of staff employed were taken from within Oldham Borough through a close working relationship with Get Oldham Working.  The roles of the staff included the emptying of public litter bins, fly-tipping removal, routed street cleansing and dedicated area-based teams.  The additional staff had complemented the existing workforce and enabled the service to have a more flexible and proactive approach covering 7 days a week.    The staff were allocated to areas so they were known in their areas.  This had received positive feedback which included submissions to the Council’s TOP Awards by members of the public.  Members were informed of changes to working whereby enforcement officers, where able, when collecting evidence removed the flytipping.  Members were also informed of work with community groups and funding allocated through the Green Dividend. 

An independent audit undertaken by Tidy Britain on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs had credited Oldham with a ‘Passing Grade’.  The result showed that the investment made had taken the Borough to a standard that was national recognised.  The Government had requested details on the approach as they examined examples of good practice.

There had been an increase of 211 formal legal enforcement actions since the introduction of additional enforcement staff when compared with the same period in the previous year.  Increased enforcement activity brought in additional income and also sent a strong message that the Council was serious about litter, issue fixed penalty notices and ultimately prosecutions.

Cabinet agreed in September 2019 to the introduction of a Fixed Penalty Notice for the specific offence of fly tipping and one for a ‘duty of care’ offence.  These penalty notices were fixed at £400, which was the maximum allowed by legislation. 

Members asked about encouraging residents to recycle, information and bins for rented properties.  Members were informed that this area did not fall under the Street Cleansing but that work did take place with newcomers including regular literature.  There was a transient population in some areas of the borough so the messages would need to be repeated as well as engagement with residents and education with children.

Members asked about unadopted alleyways and were informed that these were effectively the responsibility of residents.    There were large areas in town with back to back terraces.

Members commended the service for the work with Get Oldham Working and asked about an apprenticeship approach.  Members were informed that this approach had been in place since 1995.  There was also a training programme in place to gain the various levels and proceed to full-time positions. 

Members asked how people could be educated not to litter.  Members were informed of work about recycling in schools through assemblies and smaller groups. 

RESOLVED that the report and the improvements made with the additional street clean investment be noted.