Kentish Express Ashford & District
New litter wardens will not receive fines bonuses
Council chiefs insist that a team of litter wardens will not receive bonuses for dishing out more fines.
Ashford Borough Council has announced a new contract with private firm 3GS to issue £75 onthe-spot fines to those flouting the law.
It follows the controversy surrounding its previous contractor Kingdom, which was accused by the BBC Panorama programme of giving its staff financial “bonuses” if they handed out more fines.
That contract ran out in September, and councillors decided not to renew the deal with the company after the controversy.
Now 3GS’s wardens have started their first patrols in Ashford town centre and in Tenterden after the council announced the new contract.
3GS managing director Paul Buttivant said: “We’d like to reassure the community that only those who choose to ignore the law will be dealt with by our officers.
“Our mission is to support local authorities across the country by providing them with an ethical, transparent, proactive and focused enforcement service.”
The council says the wardens will be recognised by the public by wearing marked uniforms similar to those of parking wardens. The uniforms will also have body cameras.
The enforcement is also set to be extended to fly-tipping and commercial waste in the next few months.
Wardens were first brought in during the summer of 2016 as part of a council crackdown, with leader Gerry Clarkson saying it was one of the Ashford Conservatives’ top priorities.
It followed what had been considered a softer approach of educating children and distributing leaflets asking people not to drop litter.
Council portfolio holder for the environment Cllr Clair Bell said: “We are committed to providing a clean and tidy borough.
“That is why we are continuing to employ a litter enforcement company to help tackle littering and other environmental blights across the borough.
“Over the past year we have seen the positive impact litter enforcement has had. Not only does the town look visibly cleaner and clearer, but residents have also been supportive of the initiative too.
“Civic pride and borough presentation is important to us, which is why we are continuing to use litter enforcement to help keep the borough looking its best for our residents, visitors and businesses.”
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