Date issued: 22 November 2018
Smokers who drop their cigarette butts onto Colchester’s pavements are among those who might want to think about changing their bad habits from this weekend, as Colchester Borough Council once again teams up with an external enforcement agency to crackdown on littering and anti-social behaviour.
On Friday 23 and Saturday 24 November, a team of six enforcement officers from Artemis will be in operation in the Town Centre, between 6pm and 3am, to deter those they see breaching Bylaws or the town’s Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) with the issue of Fixed Penalty Notices.
This is the fourth in a series of enforcement events scheduled to take place over the coming months, as the council continues its efforts to re-educate and change people’s behaviour.
Cllr Martin Goss, Colchester Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Waste, Sustainability and Infrastructure, said: “We are not going to let up putting pressure on those who blight our Town Centre whether through littering, urinating in the street or other anti-social behaviour. Colchester enjoys a bustling night-time economy and we want to ensure it remains a welcoming, clean and safe environment for all.”
To further encourage smokers to ‘bin their butts’, the council has fitted new ashtrays and stub plates to its bins across the Town Centre.
A PSPO made under powers set down in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 aims to prevent things that are harming the quality of life of people in the local community by imposing conditions and requirements on the use of that area for everyone using it. In the Town Centre, Fixed Penalty Notices of £100 can be issued for offences including drinking alcohol, taking drugs or urinating in public places, fly-posting and causing disturbance or intimidation.
The enhanced enforcement activity supports Colchester Borough Council’s Better Colchester campaign which has seen the council set aside around £2 million to deliver a two-year action plan to make Colchester an even better place to live, work in and visit.
Page last reviewed: 22 November 2018