Parliament Legislates To Crack Down On Environment Crime

4.32.46pm GMT Tue 11th Jan 2005

Parliament gave a second reading last night to new legislation (the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill) which will strengthen the powers of local councils and the police to deal more effectively with litter, fly tipping, graffiti, noise, abandoned vehicles and nuisance parking. Vincent Cable said: "I and my Lib Dem colleagues voted for this Bill since, despite our reservations on some of the detail, there are a lot of useful steps which should remove any excuses which councils have for not taking action on the many aspects of anti social behaviour which blight the environment of our neighbourhoods".

The key changes are:

Stiff fines and prison sentences to deter fly tipping and fixed penalty fines for leaving rubbish in the street

Powers for councils to close footpaths subject to crime (like those in Nurserylands estate)

A new offence for garages using the road to sell and repair vehicles

Wider powers and stiffer fixed fines in respect of litter louts and abandoned shopping trolleys

Stronger sentences for graffiti and more powers requiring its removal

Exclusion areas for dogs

Stronger powers to deter anti-social noise; fixed fines on licensed premises and against owners of burglar alarms.

Vincent Cable said: "there is an impressive list of powers which deal with most of the localised environmental nuisances which residents face. The problem is enforcement. Without stronger environmental health officer teams and more police officers these powers could fall into disrepute through disuse".