Consett and Stanley draft in dirtbusters to beat litter louts

Jul 2 2009 by Neil McKay, The Journal

A SQUAD of dirt-busters have been drafted into two towns where litter louts have been getting away scot-free for years.

In Consett and Stanley, County Durham, council bosses had no success in attempts to recruit litter enforcement officers.

Consequently the appearances of the towns suffered as smokers chucked their butts on the ground, dogs fouled pavements and chewers spat out their gum on the street without fear of prosecution. Under the Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act litter droppers ditching their rubbish can be slapped with £80 on-the-spot fines – so long as a warden is there to catch them in the act. Now a three-strong enforcement squad has been drafted in from other parts of County Durham to clean up Consett and save Stanley from litterbugs.

They will be handing out cigarette butt pouches and poop a scoop bags free to try to persuade locals of the error of their ways.