A new team of enforcers has been assembled to crack down on littering and flytipping in Reading.
A new team is tackling littering and flytipping in Reading with a fresh enforcement squad.
Officers equipped with bodycams can now issue fines for littering, cigarette disposal, and flytipping around the town.
Employed by Kingdom Services Group, the team starts work at no extra cost to Reading Borough Council.
Trainers and team members patrolled the town centre on Thursday, September 11, as the partnership kicked off.
The enforcement team, comprising five members, aims to respond to residents' concerns about litter and flytipping.
Karen Rowland, lead councillor for environmental services, stated: "Residents often complain about littering in our annual surveys. We want to tackle this efficiently, especially during budget cuts, and this trial won't cost the council anything."
Kingdom's funding comes from the revenue generated by fixed penalty notice fines.
Rowland noted that the Kingdom team will collaborate with the council's existing enforcement officers to target problem areas, such as the town centre and bottle banks.
Will Russell from Kingdom mentioned that the cancellation rate for fines is below 0.5%, showcasing the quality of their enforcement.
Fines can reach up to £500 for littering or graffiti (up from £80), £1,000 for flytipping (up from £400), and £600 for improper household waste disposal (up from £400).
Cllr Rowland added: "If you’re a good citizen in Reading, this is great news. But if you litter, you might end up with a fine."
The Kingdom enforcement team officially begins on Monday, September 15, and has partnerships with 42 councils.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
