News Release

Operation No Ifs, No Butts crackdown on litter louts

Maidstone Borough Council is taking a zero-tolerance approach to litter.

The council will accept No Ifs and No Butts from litter louts and is stepping up its enforcement activities.

Cabinet Member for the Environment, Cllr Ben Sherreard, said: “We are tackling the issue head on. Every year millions of pounds are spent on street cleansing and clearing our roads of rubbish such as cigarette butts, chewing gum, sweet wrappers and fast food containers. That’s a lot of money to keep our borough clean and looking great. It could be better spent if some people didn’t drop litter in the first place.”

The council’s enforcement team, which deals with litter and other issues, will be doubled during the next six months. Four operatives from the XFOR security company will join the team on a trial basis to work on litter enforcement duties only. It should significantly increase the risk of being caught dropping litter. The council anticipates that about 100 litter louts could be caught every week.

They will be offered the chance to pay a £75 fine within 14 days. If they fail to pay up they will be taken to court and risk a fine of up to £2,500, costs, and a criminal record.

“Value for money is very important, now more than ever, so this trial will be self funding with part of the fines collected going to pay for the XFOR service”; said Cllr Sherreard.

Operation No Ifs, No Butts will also crackdown on businesses and private land owners to make sure they are clearing up their waste and keeping their land clear of litter.

Cllr Sherreard added: “Maidstone Borough Council spends a huge amount of time and money keeping our borough tidy and looking great. We have so many beautiful green spaces and great places to shop and spend our leisure time. Operation No Ifs, No Buts will target the people and organisations that let down the majority of law abiding people. We can do this at no extra cost by using XFOR. It’s great value for money for the taxpayer.”

If you are aware of a litter hotspot please call 01622 602162. If you see it, report it.