Not one fine for littering in borough

NOT a single fine was issued for dropping litter in Solihull last year, it has been revealed.

The council has confirmed that there were no fixed penalty notices (FPN) given in 2020/21 despite 77 having been dished out in the previous year.

The figures were highlighted by Solihull Green Party, which claimed the borough is facing “an epidemic” of rubbish.

The council blamed the dramatic collapse in enforcement action on Covid.

It said this had delayed the roll-out of a “successful pilot” which had targeted litter and dog fouling in the town centre.

A spokesman said: “The decision was taken in the light of the coronavirus pandemic to prioritise our limited resources on public health first and foremost, with the pandemic taking priority.”

The council confirmed that a new contract, which will see uniformed wardens patrolling hotspot areas, is due to start in the autumn.

This is intended to build-on the 2019 trial, which handed parking ticket-style powers to a private firm for the first time.

A spokesman added: “To address concerns about potential increases in litter in the borough as we come out of lockdown and to reduce the impact of litter, a new patrolling and enforcement contract has been put out to tender.

“They will be there to educate and support local initiatives on litter as well as being able to issue fixed penalty notices.”

Currently it is not compulsory for town halls to enforce littering legislation.

But Cllr Mark Wilson (Green) said he was keen for action ahead of the “eyes of the world” being on Solihull during next summer’s Commonwealth Games.