Tackling environmental crime a priority for West Northants Council

10 January 2025

Efforts to tackle littering and other environmental crime across the area continue as West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) enters into a new contract to crack down on those who break the rules.

The new three-year contract with Kingdom Local Authority Support will cover the whole of West Northants, whereas the previous one only covered the Northampton area. The will ensure consistency, increase visibility and provide reassurance, as the Council along with residents are keen to see action taken against those who commit offences and will therefore help to keep our communities clean and green.

Following a robust procurement process, Kingdom Local Authority Support will be able to issue fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for littering, graffiti and other environmental crimes on behalf of WNC and will complement the work of the Council’s neighbourhood wardens.

It will also support the enforcement of the Public Space Protection Order for the area which aims to encourage responsible dog ownership and bans smoking in some public areas, and there’s scope to extend to other environmental services in the future.

The partnership comes at no cost to WNC. The service is self-financed through the revenue generated from fines issued for offences, making the initiative both effective and economical. The Council however monitors the performance of the contract to ensure that the process is fair and in line with contract conditions.

“We know that our residents are keen for us to tackle these sorts of crimes across our communities and this partnership will help to strengthen the great work our officers and neighbourhood wardens already do.

“Kingdom Local Authority Support will be able to issue FPNs on behalf of the Council, increasing our visibility and providing a stronger deterrent against environmental offences. We would like to thank the members of our community who take a responsible approach to disposing of their litter and waste, but for the small minority who don’t behave responsibly, we will ensure that appropriate enforcement is carried out.”WNC’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Public Health and Regulatory Services, Matt Golby

“We are pleased to be partnering with West Northamptonshire Council over the next three years to support their efforts in tackling environmental crime across the area. Our team will continue to work closely with the Council's in-house staff, as we have over the past years, to deliver a comprehensive service that complies with the 4 E's of Engagement, Education, Encouragement, and Enforcement. This means we can effectively address the small minority who litter, graffiti, and commit other waste offences, ensuring consistency and visibility throughout all areas of West Northamptonshire.

“At the heart of this partnership is our shared commitment to making a real difference for local residents. We’re here to support the Council’s mission to keep public spaces clean and green, and we’re ready to play our part in creating a cleaner, healthier future for all. As part of our efforts, we will deliver school visits to show the effects of littering to future generations and install stations for poo bags in green spaces to support those who want to do the right thing.” John Roberts, Chief Operating Officer at Kingdom Local Authority Support

Residents can continue to support this work by reporting littering, graffiti and other environmental crime via the West Northamptonshire Council app or on our website.