MORE than 3,000 litterbugs have been given on-the-spot fines over the last five months.

Kingdom Services officers have handed out 3,104 fixed penalties in Blackburn with Darwen since October last year.

But just 64 per cent of the £75 fines have been paid so far, with some prosecutions due to go through the court system in the near future.

Sixteen tickets have been issued for dog fouling since the initiative began.

The council’s executive member for environment, Cllr Jim Smith, said: “Kingdom Services continue to respond to those seen dropping litter and leaving dog fouling, with since the start of the initiative in October 2017 3,104 fixed penalty notices issued, with a payment rate of 64 per cent, which is considered in the early stages of a contract by Kingdom Services to be a good rate.

“The first prosecutions are now with Legal Services and once convictions are publicised the payment rate is expected to increase.

“Since the launch, 16 fixed penalty notices have been issued for dog fouling, and the team is now running a targeted dog-fouling patrol one day a week, with both uniformed and non-uniformed officers using intelligence received from the community in order to target problem areas.”

The fines are handed out to people who drop cigarette butts and chewing gum and to irresponsible dog owners who fail to pick up after their pet.

In Blackburn with Darwen, 1,085 fixed penalty notices were handed out in the first 31 days of the ‘zero tolerance’ enforcement drive across the borough, which started on October 18.

It is understood that Kingdom receives 80 per cent of the money made from the fines in Blackburn with Darwen. The remaining 20 per cent goes to the council.

To help tackle the problem of dog fouling, the council has introduced a new Public Space Protection Order requiring owners to remove dog faeces, to keep dogs on leads in cemeteries and for dogs to be excluded from play areas.

If any of these conditions are breached, a £100 fine can be issued and failure to pay may lead to prosecution and being liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000.