A PLAN by Kirklees Council to bring in a private firm to take over from wardens by handing out fines for littering and dog fouling has come under fire.

Union bosses have criticised the move which would see a private enforcement company responsible for issuing and managing the £75 on-the-spot fines for a number of environmental offences.

The Council has admitted that it is currently unable to patrol and issue fixed penalty notices for littering, dog-fouling and dogs off leads, due to the number of enforcement officers being cut in half ahead of the planned changes.

If approved next week, the authority is looking to commission a 12-month trial which is expected to lead to an “anticipated increased workload” for the enforcement team, who are currently being trained to present simple cases at magistrates court.

The move will also involve changes to the options for those hit with a fixed penalty - as there would be no discount for paying the £75 fine early and no option to attend a good citizen course as part of a restorative justice scheme.

Paul Holmes, Kirklees branch secretary for Unison, told the Telegraph & Argus this was against an agreement to keep as many jobs as possible in house to save on redundancies amid massive budget cuts at the authority.

He added: “These fines haven’t been issued for some time, so this sounds like a way of generating income for the Council.

“There is also the issue of responsibility - and fixed penalty notices should be issued by people who are employed directly and responsible directly to the Council.”

As well as littering and dog fouling, other offences which would be covered by the contract include: the commercial sale of multiple vehicles on the highway, the repair of motor vehicles on the highway for gain, drinking alcohol in public in designated areas, public urination or defecation in designated areas, flyposting, a dog not on a lead, and a dog in an exclusion zone.

Any income generated would be used to carry out “environmental deference and enforcement activity”.

In a report to next week’s cabinet meeting, it states: “There is the opportunity to commission on a trial basis a company who supply a service to local authorities patrolling and issuing fixed penalties for littering a similar offences. They then manage the case file until the fine is either paid or the matter is ready for prosecution.

“This service would include the supply of staff - both street based patrols, management and back office support who will provide support to manage other fixed penalties that are issued by enforcement offices for offences that the external provider does not cover.”

A decision will be made at a meeting of the authority’s cabinet on February 7.