60 litter fines issued by council last year

A TOTAL of 60 litter fines were issued by Ennis Town Council last year, with 14 fines paid and 15 cases referred to a solicitor. These latest figures have been unveiled as part of the local authority’s annual report into the prevention and control of litter for 2012.
According to the report, “The environmental patrol warden and litter wardens gained much success during 2012 in procuring evidence from illegally dumped refuse, which facilitated the issue of litter fines under the Litter Pollution Act 1997.”

The town council received income of €2,100 from the €150 litter fines that were collected from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012.

Expenditure of €669,000 was incurred on the council’s environmental programme, which includes initiatives such the best-kept schools competition, priming grants, assistance to voluntary groups and litter management. Ennis Town Council spent €772,000 on street cleaning in 2012. The environmental programme included a financial contribution towards the operation of the county council’s gardening section, which works at enhancing the image of Ennis through planting and floral displays.

In relation to derelict sites, a total of four notices were served by the council on owners/occupiers requiring works to be carried out in order the render the site non-derelict.

A total of two section nine notices were issued on persons in violation of the Litter Pollution Act 1997, which places a duty on occupants of a public place or private lands to keep the place free from litter.

The number of public health notices issued in 2012 was almost one-third of the amount on the previous year. These notices are issued following a recommendation by the environmental health officer on litter/rubbish that which is not visible from a public place. In most cases, the waste is deposited or stored in back gardens and usually contains domestic waste. The total of notices issued in 2011 was 25, with 2012 seeing nine issued.

Last year saw Ennis Town Council issue 39 Abandoned Vehicle Notices under the Waste Management Act 1996, down on 2011’s figures. A total of five cars were removed on behalf of the council in 2012, one more than the four cars removed in 2011. The council has continued to implement its policy on signage related to one-off events of community interest, to control the number of signs erected on public roads. A total of 20 organisations applied to the council for a bond to erect a sign.

The report also outlines Ennis’ success in the Tidy Towns competition, along with its performance in the Irish Businesses Against Litter Report (IBAL), which found Ennis to be Clean to European Norms.

The National Spring Clean 2012 saw 42 residents’ groups in Ennis take part in clean-ups of their estates and green areas. A large number of volunteers also got involved in cleaning the approach roads.

The annual report highlights an increase in the number of residents’ associations ­benefiting from priming grants. In 2012, 60 residents’ associations had successful applications, with a total of €17,326 being paid out by the council. This shows an increase from 2011, when 53 groups were successful in receiving €15,286, and in 2010, 52 groups received €13,901.

The annual report outlines a number of initiatives undertaken by the local authority to control litter. These include education programmes,  the introduction of personal cigarette ash trays around the town, personal poop scoop bag dispensers, the launch of the Gum Litter Task Force, reuseable shopping bags and an environmental events calendar.

Town clerk Leonard Cleary commented, “During 2012, Ennis Town Council continued to build on its success of recent years in terms of litter monitoring and control, as well as expanding efforts to generate environmental awareness through the community. This report demonstrates the wide range of activities undertaken by the council. The co-operation of all sectors in the community has proved to be key to the town’s achievements in environmental competitions.

“The council will continue to work in partnership with businesses and voluntary organisations to achieve the following objectives: to build on the town’s achievements and successes in the Tidy Towns competition; to highlight that a clean environment has a social and economic impact; to continue to raise the profile of Ennis as a place to live, work, visit and invest in; to raise public awareness of environmental issues with an emphasis on individual’s responsibility to avoid littering and to generate community pride and partnership.”