APPENDIX 2
Memorandum from Birmingham City Council,
Regulatory Services
The Regulatory Services Department of the City
Council deal with inter alia; all aspects of Environmental
Crime and nuisance from an enforcement perspective.
1. SCALE OF
IMPACT
Environmental crime has a significant impact
on the local environment, it degrades an area giving the impression
of neglect and that nobody cares. It heightens the fear of crime
in general, which then encourages further anti-social behaviour.
Residents and communities feel abandoned by the Authorities which
breeds contempt and feelings of hopelessness.
Fly-tipped rubbish, in particular, which is
not removed encourages further tipping and rodent problems which
all contribute to a downward spiral in the appearance of an area.
During the past 12 months 6,000 complaints relating
to dumped rubbish and refuse bag advancement have been received
by the Public Health section of the Department. (This excludes
direct referrals made to the Councils waste management section
which would significantly increase this figure)
2. CHANGE IN
ATTITUDE
There has been a cultural change in attitude
to these types of crime which are now being taken more seriously
by both Local Authorities and the Police.
It is now becoming generally accepted that people
who commit environmental crimes are likely to also commit other
types of offences, particularly those of an anti-social nature
and that joint working between Local Authorities, the Police and
other agencies to tackle environmental crime issues is the way
forward.
Many Local Authorities, such as Birmingham have
set up Environmental Warden Schemes specifically to deal with
environmental crime issues which are now being given a high priority
both officers and Councillors.
Significantly environmental crime issues have
always featured as one of the top priorities in customer service
questionnaires/surveys .
3. RESOURCES
AND POWERS
Responsible bodies who deal with the problem
of environmental crime and its consequences generally lack the
necessary resources to deal effectively with the problem. The
powers available to deal with environmental crimes also need to
be strengthened to increase the likelihood of securing convictions.
Legislation to make it an offence by the householder
(ie the person paying the council tax) to advance their refuse
bags prior to collection day would be welcomed as this problem
is generating increasing numbers of complaints and leading to
problems of spilt rubbish and rodents. The present enforcement
powers available are inadequate to deal with this type of offence.
4. DIALOGUE AND
CO -OPERATION
Dialogue and co-operation across Government
and amongst the various bodies responsible for dealing with the
problem at a local level are improving significantly.
In Birmingham partnership working and joint
exercises, to deal in particular with fly-tipping, littering and
illegal waste carriers are regularly undertaken in conjunction
with the Police and the Environment Agency.
5. ALTERNATIVES
Alternatives that exist for dealing with these
types of offences outside the Criminal Justice System could include
the issuing of fixed penalty notices being extended to cover all
types of environmental crime and the power to seize vehicles involved
in fly-tipping and fly-posting offences being extended to Local
Authorities.
Stronger powers to enable Local Authorities
to require information from individuals/companies in particular
with regard to securing names of business owners and company details
would also be beneficial.
6. IMPACT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME
Environmental Crime does have a disproportional
impact on the poor and less advantaged sections of society as
the majority of these types of offences tend to occur in inner
City areas and the more deprived neighbourhoods, increasing the
appearance of neglect and squalor.
March 2004
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