School areas targeted by litter lout officers

Nov 14 2008 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

SPECIAL litter officers are working hard to encourage Perth people to keep the streets free of rubbish.

The role of the two full-time officers is to act as a deterrent to those who might consider dropping litter and, where necessary, issue fixed penalty notices to litter louts.

The current Fixed Penalty Notice is £50 and anyone who doesn’t pay within the required 14 days will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

The officers operate in areas where high levels of littering have been identified – particularly near secondary schools – and the council has drawn up Area Litter Plans, working in partnership with schools and local businesses.

The litter officers also operate an incentive scheme for school-age children, known as 'Bin it and Win it'.

If a litter officer sees someone under the age of 16 putting their waste in a litter bin, they may win a voucher entitling them to a free casual leisure session at one of the Perth and Kinross Leisure facilities.