Fife Council: New strategy to tackle fly-tipping, dog fouling and littering

The vision within the local authority’s Environmental Vandalism Strategy 2022 – 24, which was approved by councillors earlier this year, is to signficantly reduce illegal activity detrimental to the environment in Fife.

It is designed to drive a step-change in behaviours through a prevention-led approach with robust enforcement where offences are committed around illegal dumping, littering, dog fouling, graffiti/flyposting and abandoned vehicles.

Environmental vandalism is a challenge for councils across Scotland and costs over £78 million every year.

It has serious negative local consequences including the impact on the environment and injury to pets and wildlife from discarded waste; an impact on the economy, tourism and property prices; and increased costs to councils, partners and private landowners for clearing up incidents.

There is also a negative impact on people’s health and wellbeing as a result of incidents.

Councillor Ross Vettraino, Fife Council's convener for environment and protective services, said: “The council's new Environmental Vandalism Strategy will bring about long term improvements to Fife's communities.

"Over the next three years, the council aims to tackle environmental vandalism through both prevention and enforcement.

"Robust enforcement will act as a deterrent - Fife Council is cracking down on environmental crimes and illegal activity will not be tolerated.

"At the same time, the council knows that the majority of local people take pride in their local area and will also focus is on helping people change their behaviour.

“An important element of this new approach is to ensure that every person in Fife, whether a resident, business, partner, or employee, takes responsibility for being part of the solution.

"Everyone needs to be empowered to report any environmental offending within their neighbourhoods to ensure issues are reported as quickly as possible.

"This way, intelligence can be gathered to support enforcement action and action taken.”

A multi-agency approach will be adopted to deliver the new strategy with the six key objectives being partnership working; promoting awareness and positive behavioural change; educating children and young people through schools; operational service redesign and coordination; supporting community based action through volunteering and enforcement action.

Central to this strategy will be the swift removal of impacts, effective policing methods that will use technology and penalise the vandals, developing data gathering and working with communities.

The council said an Environmental Vandalism Charter will be developed to encourage everyone to find the best way of making Fife cleaner and more attractive to those who live, work or visit the area.