A CAMPAIGN group has called for Bradford Council to carry out a blitz on litter and dog fouling at a Shipley park.

Steve Bruzzese, chairman of the Friends of Northcliffe Park group, says he would like to see Council wardens carry out more enforcement at the litter-hit site.

He says there has been an increase in litter, particularly used fast food wrappers, being dumped at the park’s car park.

He said this problem increases in the warm weather, when people litter the park and may have picnics at the site. Mr Bruzzese also said dog fouling is a problem at the site.

New anti-litter and anti-dog fouling enforcement officers are now on the district’s streets and can issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) to people who litter, urinate, spit or allow their dog to foul in public in Bradford city centre and other litter hot spots.

People who allow their dogs to foul without picking it up could be issued with an £80 fixed penalty notice, or prosecuted and fined up to £1,000 with a criminal record.

Friends of Northcliffe Park members say this has not been extended to the district’s parks, though wardens are aware of the problem of dog fouling in Northcliffe.

A Bradford Council spokesman said anyone with concerns about littering at Northcliffe Park should get in touch with its parks and neighbourhoods service team to find a solution, which may include an increase in warden patrols.

Mr Bruzzese said: “I understand Bradford Council is strapped for resources. I hope that there would be a scope for enforcement officers to cover the park on a rota basis, including a couple of days in Northcliffe Park.

“With dog fouling, there is a danger with children playing in the grass.

"A small number of repeat offenders will not clean up after themselves.

“I would like to see a blitz and make a concentrated effort for the enforcement officers to be more visible, for a two or three-day period, not a continued presence.

“The growing problem with litter is because people don’t clean up after themselves.

“Cleaning up the parks is equal in priority to Bradford city centre and the other little hotspots which have been identified.”

A Bradford Council spokesman said: “If people have concerns about Northcliffe Park they should contact our parks and neighbourhoods service so we can work together to try and find a solution, like increasing warden patrols and catching the people responsible.”

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, the Council’s executive member for environment, sport and culture, said: “Littering and dog fouling offences continue to be a significant problem throughout the district and we have to do the best we can to tackle them.”

Go to bradford.gov.uk/environment/dogs/report-dog-fouling to report an incident, or go to bradford.gov.uk/transport-and-travel/report-issues/request-street-cleaning or call 01274 431000.