PRIVATE enforcement officers have fined 290 people for littering in Bournemouth across a three-month period – 20 times more than the council issued in the same timeframe the previous year.

The borough delegated responsibility for issuing the £75 fixed penalty notices for dog fouling and littering to enforcement firm 3GS on a 12-month trial basis at the end of October.

No payment is made to the firm by the council, with 3GS instead being allowed to keep the revenue it generates from fines issued by its five officers.

Cllr David Smith, portfolio holder for planning and environment, said he hopes word spreads that littering in the town will not be tolerated.

“I think that it’s sad that we have to fine 290 people for dropped litter – and the message I put out is that if people drop litter, they should expect a fine,” he said. “They have also issued two fines for dog fouling.”

Across November, December and January in 2014/15 council officers issued 14 fines for littering. One ticket was issued last year for dog fouling.

Cllr Smith said the officers who previously issued the tickets had a number of other responsibilities, including dealing with unauthorised car park encampments, rough sleepers, skip and scaffold licences, over-grown vegetation and obstructions on highways.

The 3GS officers, however, focus solely on littering and dog fouling.

They wear body cameras so a filmed record of the fines being issued can be referred to.

“A number of offenders have refused to give address details and in some cases given false addresses," said Cllr Smith.

“The officer will judge every situation on its own merits. Assuming someone is just being awkward and not aggressive then the officer will use their training and powers of persuasion to deflate the situation.

“People are reminded that it is an offence to fail to give your name, or give a false address to an authorised officer when asked and you could be prosecuted for failing to give these details.”

Cllr Smith said Old Christchurch Road in the town centre has seen the most fines being issued so far.

“Our approach has always been to educate and inform people about their responsibilities and to follow this up with enforcement,” he said.

“But with repeated complaints from concerned residents and businesses, we are testing if a firmer approach to those blatantly ignoring the law will help us influence people’s attitudes."

He said the borough will continue to monitor cleanliness levels in the town before deciding on the scheme’s long term future.

3GS did not respond to the Daily Echo’s invitation to comment.