Dog mess and dropped cigarettes in Bassetlaw result in almost 700 fines in a single month

People aged 20 to 39 accounted for the highest number of offenders - with 283 given fixed penalty notices (FPNs) of up to £100 - while those aged 40 to 59 received 281 fines.

Hurling cigarette ends was the most common offence - with 667 penalties issued - while 14 people across the district were caught leaving dog mess behind.

District enforcement officers caught the litter bugs while patrolling town centres, parks and open spaces and private land including supermarket car parks and service stations between August 3 and September 3.

Bassetlaw district councillor Julie Leigh said the fines had shown ‘people don’t regard cigarette waste as litter’.

She said: “Dropping a cigarette butt is still littering and not disposing of it properly harms the environment and makes our streets look untidy.

“As well as plastic, cigarette filters are made up of thousands of chemical ingredients including arsenic, lead and nicotine - all of which can end up in our waterways and be highly

toxic to fish and other marine animals.

“I am also particularly pleased to see that FPNs have been issued for dog fouling - which is an emotive issue and one that the public frequently bring to the attention of councillors.”

Colin Buchanan, head of operations at District Enforcement, said there had been ‘a significant change of behaviour within high footfall areas’ since the launch of its patrols.

He said: “This just goes to show education plays a key element within our service delivery.

“We have a dedicated team of officers who on a daily basis patrol the district and take a fair and proportionate approach to the issuance of an FPN for any environmental crime offences they witness.”

If an offender refuses to pay their fine they could face prosecution and a potential fine of up to £2,500.

A Bassetlaw District Council spokesman said: “Environmental crime officers receive training and ongoing professional development to maintain high standards.

“They also wear body cameras to capture interaction between officers and members of the public.”

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