Environmental crime

We deal with all aspects of environmental crime, such as graffiti, fly-tipping, and dog fouling. Our aim is to keep the borough clean and tidy and improve residents' perceptions of the communities they live in.

What we do

  • Remove offensive graffiti within 24 hours of it being reported.
  • Remove non-offensive graffiti within seven days of it being reported.
  • Issue fixed penalty notices for littering and dog fouling.
  • Gather evidence for fly-tipping offences so that we can prosecute.
  • Teach young people about environmental crime (Junior Warden schemes).
  • Visit vulnerable residents to help fit crime prevention measures such as Smartwater.
  • Get involved in community clean-ups and community galas to promote the service.
  • Gather intelligence from local crime and safety groups on issues raised by the community.
  • Estate walkabouts with partner agencies and elected members to gather information about issues of concern.
  • Follow up reports of untidy gardens.
  • Investigate abandoned vehicles.

Reporting environmental crime

Call us on (01226) 773555 or contact us online if you want to report incidents of environmental crime.

You can also find out how to report discarded needles and syringes here.

Fixed penalty notices

Our enforcement officers can issue fixed penalty notice fines of £100 to people who deliberately drop litter.

The table below shows the number of fixed penalty notices we issued for environmental crimes in the previous three years.

Type of fixed penalty notice 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22
Litter 1363 1303 1238
Dog fouling 31 74 79
Other environmental (household waste duty of care and fly-tipping) 25 17 17