The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A tender has gone out for an ‘enviro-crime’ team to tackle the likes of fly-tipping in the district.
It was revealed in March that the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership, of which South Holland District Council is a member, was hoping to roll out such a team before summer.
South Holland made no prosecutions against fly-tippers in the 20/21 or 21/22 financial year, a Freedom of Information by Spalding Wombles showed, compared to 25 made by Boston Borough Council in just six months within that time span.
That authority used an ‘enviro-crime’ team which in March was mentioned could take on the running in all of partnership councils, but it has now gone out to tender, the councils said.
It’s hoped a new team will be able to use CCTV cameras that South Holland District Council purchased in 2021 which are yet to be utilised.
A spokesman for the partnership said: “Following the completion of the process, the successful bidder will provide foot patrols and overt CCTV surveillance across the partnership to tackle littering, dog fouling and fly tipping.
“Officers will also be able to enforce offences in areas under Public Space Protection Orders.
“CCTV surveillance has already proved successful in Boston at fly-tipping hotspots with incidents on a downward trend.
“Enviro-crime enforcement officers have also recently started in East Lindsey and now the scheme aims to share that best practice by introducing the measures across the partnership.
“The launch of the procurement process is a significant milestone for the Communities Directorate as set out in the Annual Delivery Plan.”
Coun Anthony Casson, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection at South Holland District Council, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for enforcement companies to operate across three councils and make a difference to enviro-crime issues which impact so many villages and towns.
“I am sure residents will be supportive to bring this enforcement to South Holland and being able to deliver a cost-effective way to tackle the problem collectively for all our residents is a positive step forward.”
