Liverpool City Council to tackle litter and anti-social behaviour with new initiative

Liverpool City Council is set to revolutionise its approach to litter and anti-social behaviour.

On 16 July, the Liverpool City Council Cabinet will review a report recommending three major changes aimed at improving environmental standards across the city.

Based on feedback from the Council’s residents’ survey, the recommendations include:

• Creation of a New Taskforce: An environment and anti-social behaviour taskforce will unify existing teams focused on enforcement.
• External Enforcement Provider: A new external company will provide additional support to the taskforce, targeting litter, fly-tipping, and waste management issues.
• Increased Fixed Penalty Notices: Penalties for environmental offences like littering, graffiti, and fly-tipping will be increased to the maximum allowed under new legislation.

In February, the Council approved a £2.5 million plan to recruit more environmental enforcement officers over the next year.

This initiative aims to curb poor behaviour by a minority of residents, which negatively impacts communities and strains waste management services.

The new external contractor will enhance the taskforce’s effectiveness across the city. The Council will also streamline its enforcement policies and has established a Joint Tasking and Coordinating Group.

This group, which includes officers from various city departments, meets weekly to address complex enforcement issues.

The Council is also collaborating with Keep Britain Tidy and community groups to develop an anti-litter programme. The installation of the UK’s largest network of subterranean superbins and larger bins in major parks are part of the efforts to reduce bin bag-related litter.

Liverpool City Council, which has invested in CCTV to catch fly-tippers, currently handles over 1,300 fly-tipping incidents monthly, clearing more than 85% within five working days.

Waste Management Facts (May 2023 – May 2024):

• Street Cleansing Requests: 4,367 (100% responded to within the next scheduled cleanse)
• Fly-Tipping Enquiries: 17,000
• Dumped Black Refuse Bags: 3,000
• Furniture Items: 1,700
• Shopping Trolleys: 539
• Fridge Freezers: 1,200

Additional Waste Management Statistics:

• Weekly Bin Collections: Over 300,000, with a 0.03% missed collection rate
• Domestic Waste: Accounts for 2% of the city’s carbon emissions (51,751 tonnes CO2 equivalent)

The Environmental Offences Fixed Penalties Regulations 2023 have increased the upper limit for fines related to littering, graffiti, fly-posting, fly-tipping, and breaches of household duty of care, reinforcing the Council’s commitment to maintaining a cleaner, safer Liverpool.

Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said:

“This report sets out a comprehensive plan to tackle those who litter and flytip – with a clear message: ‘we’re coming after you’.

“There’s no excuse for this lazy and selfish behaviour. It has such a detrimental impact on our neighbourhoods, everyone’s quality of life and on the public purse.

“We’ve listened to residents and businesses and we’re taking action to create a more streamlined approach to enforcement.

“This new taskforce will be backed with more officers on the ground, supported by an external company, applying the highest possible fines under current legislation.

“Everyone who loves this city wants to keep Liverpool tidy. But for the minority who choose not to, then their behaviour will not be tolerated.”

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