Kent County Council
Many people are concerned about the quality of their environment globally, but equally within their neighbourhood. Litter, rubbish flytipping and abandoned vehicles are unattractive, unhealthy and can relate to crime and the fear of crime locally. Such anti-social behaviour should not be tolerated and through the Clean Kent Campaign, Kent County Council is playing a key role in tackling the root causes, to achieve a cleaner and safer Kent for those that live, work and visit the county.
The Clean Kent Campaign was launched at County Hall in May 2004, as a partnership initiative to tackle environmental crime, improve the cleanliness of our neighbourhoods and involve local people to help take a pride in Kent.
Kent County Council has committed significant resources to this initiative to deliver a sustained and high profile campaign for the next three years. Through a campaign co-ordinator, enforcement manager and officers, the team work with all the partners to deliver effective services and information and meet key targets.
About the Clean Kent Campaign
The Clean Kent Campaign is a multi-agency project facilitated by Kent County Council in partnership with the district and borough councils, Kent Police, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Crown Prosecution Service, the Highways Agency, Kent Probation Area, HM Prison Service and the Environment Agency amongst others.
The Clean Kent Campaign recognises that Kent is a clean and beautiful county in which to live, work and enjoy. One of the ways in which the Campaign aims to protect and preserve the natural beauty of the county is by reducing instances of flytipping and littering, thereby improving the overall quality of the Kent environment.
Litter, rubbish, flytipping and abandoned vehicles are seen as key manifestations of anti-social behaviour and potentially in turn, crime and fear of crime. The Clean Kent Campaign recognises all of these issues and the adverse effect that they may have on the quality of life, tourism and economic development. Where anti-social behaviour is present, crime invariably follows.
With new powers under the Clean Neighbourhoods Act 2005, district and borough Councils are able to issue fixed penalty notices for those caught littering (fines which can be up to £80). For those caught fly-tipping the penalties are greater and offenders could face 5 years imprisonment or a £50,000 fine.
According to the Kent Agreement* (Government stretched targets) final data, Clean Kent has achieved the following:
- A 9 per cent increase in the residents who think that Kent is a clean county. 67 per cent of residents agree this against the baseline figure of 58 per cent as set in 2003/04.
- A 42 per cent reduction in loose rubbish fires across the county. Baseline figures were set at 2,871 loose rubbish fires in 2003/04. Loose rubbish fire figures for 2007/08 were 1,582 which equates to a 1,792 reduction over the 3 year Kent Agreement period.
- A reduction in flytipping incidents from 33,636 incidents in 2003/04 (baseline figures) to 21,546 incidents in 2007/08.
This figure equates to a 35.9 per cent reduction against baseline.
Flytipping has also gone done by 22.6 per cent from the previous year's figures, 27,854 incidents in 2006/07 to 21,546 incidents in 2007/08.
*Kent Agreement 1 (KA1) Outcome 14 To make Kent a cleaner county
is set to deliver three indicators:
- An increase in public perception that Kent is clean by 20 per cent
- A reduction in loose (uncontained) rubbish fires by 20 per cent
- A reduction in the number of fly-tipping incidences reported by 10 per cent
The current three year KA ended 31st March 2008.
Source: Kent Agreement 1, Outcome 14 Final Data, Kent County Council and Kent Fire and Rescue Service.