A couple of years ago I reported that Liverpool Council were boasting their success in penalising ‘scousers’ for dropping their fag ends all over the city-peaking at £120,975 in 2009. That’s a That’s a hell of a lot of £75 penalties methinks! They must have enforcement officers on every street corner to cop for that many.
This year the figure is a paltry £15,765, a fall of £105K or 84%. most people would think this was marvellous news but the council are now bellyaching that there is no longer enough revenue to keep paying the number of EHO’s supposedly needed to catch these diminishing hordes of fag butt droppers!
Interestingly the council also said that initially they ” took some time for proper bins to be provided outside premises for cigarettes to be disposed of properly.” So, the council now freely admit that they didn’t do all they could to entice smokers to dispose of their waste correctly, yet were extremely happy to dish out £75 FPN’s willy nilly!
Now they have got the necessary bins they have found out that people use them, hence the massive drop in revenue-I find it quite hilarious. Cake…and… eat it spring to mind here.
The ‘prize prat’ statement comes from an un-named council spokesman, “Although the number of people who drop litter has decreased there is no doubt that because of the cuts which have been imposed on the council it will be a challenge to maintain the level of enforcement.”
Priceless, truly priceless!