Medway Conservatives are calling for a review of the lack of enforcement by Medway Council as a new update shows a marked decline in the amount of enforcement.
At the Regeneration, Culture and Environment Overview and Scrutiny meeting held last month, the council updated statistics on enforcement action across four areas including littering, moving vehicle offences, fly tipping and dog fouling.
Councillor Matt Fearn, Opposition licencing spokesperson, asked a number of questions relating to the decline in issuing fixed penalty notices and prosecutions. The Council were unable to explain the reduction given that the number of staff in teams authorised to issue fixed penalty notices had not been reduced. The current approach was to educate first then act later.
Councillor Andrew Lawrence, Shadow Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Community, and Housing made the point that in his ward of Hempstead & Wigmore, he and fellow Councillor Jim Gilbourne regularly receive complaints of littering especially along Pear Tree Lane, created by individuals throwing rubbish from passing cars.
In other examples, the moving vehicle PSPO approved by Council in October had not been a success because there had not been effective enforcement. Councillor Lawrence also noted that there had not been any enforcement action against breaches of tree preservation orders in three years. Councillor Lawrence was clear that the time for just educating was over, and that the Council needed to take more effective enforcement action. Commenting after the meeting he said:
“The Council needs to raise its game in taking effective enforcement action against the minority of residents and those passing through Medway who show scant regard for the environment. The quality of life of residents is being impacted and it is not good enough to just educate.
Colleagues and I in the Conservative Group are committed to improving the quality of life in Medway and urge the Medway Labour and Co-Operative administration to take a look at this issue and the act.”
