A CRACKDOWN on louts who drop litter or fail to pick up after their dogs in the streets has seen more than 50 on-the-spot fines issued every day in its first week.

In the first seven days of the ‘zero tolerance’ enforcement drive across Blackburn with Darwen, 359 fixed penalty notices were handed out, each costing £75.

They would bring in nearly £27,000 for Blackburn with Darwen Council who launched the crackdown on Wednesday, October 18. So far 74 fixed penalty notices, to the value of £5,550, have been paid.

The cash will go to private firm Kingdom Environment Enforcement Services who are patrolling both town centres, as well as parks, open spaces and problem areas. The new drive has proved controversial as it includes fines for dropping cigarette butts and chewing gum as well as for other litter and dog mess.

Cllr Jim Smith, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s environment boss, said he was sad so many fines had had to be be issued but the total showed the need for a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to change people’s behaviour. Council Tory group leader, Cllr John Slater welcomed the success of the crackdown and backed the borough’s refusal to tolerate litter.

Figures exclusively revealed to the Lancashire Telegraph by the council show that in the first seven days of the campaign 359 ‘fixed penalty notices’ for £75 each were issued of which 21 per cent have already been paid. A total of 12 informal appeals were made against the fines of which eight were rejected, three were cancelled due to the recipients being under 18 and one is on hold pending proof of age.

Darwen resident Roy Lawrenson said he was ‘gobsmacked’ to be given a fixed penalty notice for dropping a cigarette butt on Railway Road, Blackburn, and is refusing to pay. And chef Jamie Evans was angered by his on-the-spot penalty for the same offence in Darwen. He claims he was followed by officers, an allegation denied by the council.

Council bosses said they were trying ‘to take back the streets’ of Blackburn with Darwen and stop them being tarnished by the ‘disgusting behaviour of a minority’ when they launched the campaign. Those caught littering will receive a fixed penalty of £75, while those failing to clean up dog mess will be fined £100, reduced to £75 if paid within 10 days.

The money made from the fines will pay for the enforcement work and be spent on improving the area. Cllr Smith said: “I am sad we have had to issue to many of these notices. It shows how many people are dropping litter.

“This is about behaviour change and only a zero tolerance approach will do that. A couple of my friends, who were caught dropping cigarette butts have said they will be more careful in future. Hopefully the number of fines issued will drop as people do change their behaviour.”

Cllr Slater said: “I am delighted at the success of this crackdown. It is something we really need to do and the zero tolerance approach with no reduction for early payments is the absolutely correct approach.”

Cllr Roy Davies, Mayor of Darwen Town Council, said: “This the right thing to do and I am pleased so many fine notices have been issued. Darwen has become a dirty town and I was still confronting people throwing litter out of a van this week. Taking a really strict approach is what is needed.”

Cllr David Foster, Liberal Democrat group leader, said: “This is something that needed to be done and I am glad it is being done properly. Perhaps the number of notices shows more information and warning needed to be done for the public.”

“People who litter should pay the penalty.”The 12-month pilot scheme will be self-financing.