Litter and dog fouling enforcement patrols are restarting in North East Lincolnshire this week.
Patrols were suspended when the lockdown started in March but will be back this week as more premises reopen.
Enforcement officers are changing the way they work to adapt to social distancing rules.
Officers will patrol busy areas including Cleethorpes beachfront and Grimsby town centre, as well as the area’s busier parks.
They will give fixed penalty tickets for littering, cycling and dog control offences, as well as for smoking in commercial vehicles.
Patrols are restarting after people left piles of cans, bottles, nappies and other litter in places including Cleethorpes beach, Weelsby Woods and other parks.
Cllr Ron Shepherd, cabinet member for Safer and Stronger Communities at North East Lincolnshire Council, said:
“Patrols were stood down at the start of the lockdown but we’re increasingly seeing a need to bring them back.
“Littering makes the place look a mess, it’s harmful to wildlife and the environment.
“Lately we’ve seen more plastic gloves and face masks littering the streets, there’s really no excuse.
“North East Lincolnshire has more than 800 litter bins, with more than 50 on Cleethorpes Prom.
“If a bin is full, take your rubbish home. Or reduce your waste by using reusable cups and other containers.”
Officers from Local Authority Support carry out patrols and gather evidence which is passed on to Doncaster Council who issue the fines on behalf of North East Lincolnshire Council.
Private patrols were introduced after a wide-ranging public consultation in 2017. People said they wanted to see more enforcement against those who litter and don’t pick up after their dogs.
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