Litter Louts In Enfield

[sp1814]

You know when you come back from holiday and you notice how the amount of litter on our streets?

Well Enfield Council now have wardens empowered to fine those who drop litter �80 on the spot.

They also film those dropping litter with a covert camera.

Is this the best way to clean up our litter-strewn country, or another tragic example of Surveillance Britain and a further step to Big Brother (as in Orwell, not Channel 4)?

(I'm on the fence, by the way).

[ludwig]

I'm normally quite cynical about this sort of stuff, but I'm completely in favour of this one. I hate litter louts.
(Don't stay on the fence too long by the way, you might get an on the spot fine for loitering).

[naomi24]

I'm not on the fence. I hate litter louts too, and I hope they are fined.

[sp1814]

Hmmm....I'm with you on being anti-litter, because there's no reason to drop it. I grew up in the Keep Britain Tidy era, and I lierally can't drop litter (a bit of alliteration there). But playing Devil's Advocat here...is an �80 fine fair for the 'crime' committed?

Couldn't it be argued that the litterer should be given a formal warning first, and then fined on the second offence?

[Whickerman]

no - it's fair. Let's face it, if you know about it, and you don't give a toss, who's to blame if you're fined?

[sp1814]

Ah - but what if you don't know about the fines?

[ELVIS68]

I lived in Enfield up until last August, I went back there yesterday and it is still as bad as ever, most of the rubbish is food wrappers from the never ending supply of Fried Chicken and Kebab shops that have opened in the last five years, and the worst offenders are schoolkids....no respect for the area

[rabbitygirl]

I live in Watford. Last year a girl walked towards me, passed a litter bin and dropped paper on the floor. Immediately behind her was a PCSO. I pointed out this girl to the PCSO and said she had just dropped that piece of litter and pointed at it. After asking for her to be pointed out she then said it made no difference as she herself had not seen it happen (how I dont know - she was just behind her). So litter stayed on pavement and PCSO and litterbug went leaving me fuming! Whats the flippin' point eh??

[Panic Button]

Yes I saw this on the news. He was giving out �80 fixed penalties for cigarette ends.

A bit excessive isn't it? What happened to the quiet word and request not to do it again?

[naomi24]

Perhaps the answer isn't a fine - perhaps litter louts should be sentenced to a couple of days (or more)community service - picking up litter.