A COUNCIL’S litter enforcement officers have come under fire for operating on private land after imposing a 'cruel' £75 fine on a foodbank user.

Blackburn with Darwen Borough has authorised its contractor Kingdom Environmental Services to deploy staff on private property, including store car parks, unless asked not to by the owner.

Already the initiative, launched in October, has run into trouble over officers issuing fixed penalty notices on land not owned by the council with Asda asking them to keep off its car park in Grimshaw Park Road Lower Audley.

Blackburn Foodbank on Oakenhurst Road has also asked the council not to send the Kingdom staff on to its surrounding land after an enforcement officer served a user with a £75 fixed penalty notice for dropping litter there.

The fine was later rescinded.

Cllr John Slater, leader of the borough council Conservative Group, said: "These litter enforcement officers should operate on public and not private land.

"Fining a user of Blackburn Foodbank, presumably living in poverty, for dropping litter on its land is cruel and unforgivable. The council and Kingdom should be ashamed of themselves.

"There is plenty of litter and rubbish on public land to tackle."

One Lancashire Telegraph reader spotted Kingdom staff issueing fine notices on Blackburn town centre's Aldi and Lidl car parks.

The Wensley Fold resident said: "This is the only time I have seen tickets being handed out.

"Why is the council taking responsibility for littering in private car parks?

"A far more serious problem is domestic fly-tipping across the borough, but it is not as profitable and much more difficult to catch offenders."

Blackburn with Darwen Council's environment boss Jim Smith said: "The Kingdom officers are entitled to go on private land unless the owner asks them not to.

"Litter dropped on store car parks easily blows onto the streets and public land. This is about cleaning up the whole borough, public space and private property.

"The Foodbank asked us not to send Kingdom staff onto their land after an officer issued a fixed penalty notice to a user. I understand their point of view.

"Asda have asked the officers not to go on their carpark and said their staff will deal with any litter problems."

Sudell Liberal Democrat Cllr Roy Davies said: "I support the council. This is about cleaning up the whole borough, both public and private land."

Asda operate a national policy of refusing access to council-employed enforcement officers preferring to keep their own land and car parks clean and tidy.

Noone from Blackburn Foodbank or Aldi was available for comment.

Cllr Smith said: "We can prosecute companies that refuse us access and do not clear up their land."

Lidl declined to comment saying it was matter for the council.