Council cracking down on bad behaviour
Saturday, 21 September 2019
Calderdale Council is cracking down on bad behaviour that puts the borough’s safety and beauty at risk.
Enforcement Action Week from Monday 23 to Sunday 29 September 2019 will show there’s ‘no messing’ when it comes to following the rules that protect local people and the environment.
Patrols, checks and enforcement will be stepped up across Calderdale to tackle issues such as fly-tipping, dog owner compliance, vehicle idling and anti-social behaviour.
Cllr Susan Press, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, said, “Rules and laws are in place to keep our local communities safe, attractive and pleasant places to live, and to protect our distinctive environment for future generations.
“In our ‘first 100 days’ programme, we pledged to run a week of enforcement action in September to highlight that everyone has a duty to follow the rules, and we won’t hesitate to take action against those who ignore them. It will also showcase the huge range of enforcement work carried out by the Council in partnership with other organisations.”
Enforcement Action Week will focus on a range of issues which blight our communities, including fly-tipping, lack of compliance with rules for dog owners (such as not using leads), dangerous parking and speeding, litter, anti-social behaviour, animal welfare and food safety issues, behaviour that could increase the risk of moorland fires, and idling vehicles which cause air pollution and contribute to climate change, as part of the Council’s continued commitment to tackling the climate emergency.
The Council’s Planning team will be tackling unsightly buildings in urban areas and the countryside, with a focus on historic buildings which are a key part of Calderdale’s distinctiveness. The team’s recent successful application to the Government’s Planning Enforcement Fund has secured £50,000 to build on this work and develop quicker and more efficient enforcement through improved use of technology.
Enforcement Action Week comes as the Council launches its new Community Protection Team, which brings together the Community Safety, Environmental Health and Licensing Teams. This will speed up the enforcement process by ensuring issues are assessed and quickly passed to the most relevant and appropriately skilled employees, to stop problems escalating in severity and cost. This is part of the Council’s new ‘firm but fair’ approach to enforcement which began in February 2019.
Since then, the Council has expanded its team of Community Safety Wardens, who patrol the borough 24/7 providing visible reassurance and tackling key issues. They are supported by a CCTV vehicle and body cameras. Over spring and summer 2019, they issued 84 Fixed Penalty Notice fines for offences such as littering, dog fouling and failing to adhere to public space protection orders.