30 July 2010Clean Kent is a partnership project that is helping to keep Sevenoaks District cleaner and greener by removing litter, graffiti and fly-tipped rubbish in problem areas as well as taking action against those responsible.
Local reporters and photographers are invited to go out with the Clean Kent team from Wednesday 28 to Friday 30 November 2007 to see first hand how it operates. The team will at various locations in Sevenoaks District during the three days.
The Clean Kent Neighbourhood response team was set up to help tackle problem areas that fall outside the responsibility of the District Council, which has a duty to keep its own land and the highway clean.
The team focus on key hotspot areas and will tackle problems on land that is owned by the other public service providers or private land once the landowner has given their permission.
Crucially Clean Kent will also attempt to recover any evidence that could lead to a successful prosecution of the perpetrators of fly-tipping and other environmental crimes. There have been 10 recent enforcement actions against fly-tippers, with three pending court and three cases currently being investigated.
Kent Probation Area, a key partner in the initiative, often provides additional labour to help clean up as part of its Community Payback Scheme.
Clean Kent is keen to encourage residents to nominate areas for cleaning via the Clean Kent website www.cleankent.com or by calling Kent County Council on 0845 345 0210.
The Clean Kent team operates in Sevenoaks District one in every four weeks.
Its work in the District is jointly funded by Kent County Council, Kent Fire & Rescue Service, Sevenoaks District Council and the Sevenoaks District Community Safety Partnership.
Cllr Felicity Broomby, Sevenoaks District Council's Cabinet member with responsibility for the environment, says: "The Clean Kent team provides an additional tool over and above our own services to help keep Sevenoaks District cleaner and greener. The team is instrumental in the fight against fly tipping and other environmental crimes and will continue to take action against those responsible."
The event forms part of Community Safety Week during which the Community Safety Partnership is highlighting the many projects that through funding from the Partnership has made a difference to residents across the District. This event is one in a series of opportunities for the media to find out more about the work taking place in the District to reduce crime and the fear of crime and strengthen communities.
The Partnership brings together all of the agencies in the District who can have an affect on crime and includes Kent Police, Sevenoaks District Council, Kent County Council, Kent Fire & Rescue Service, West Kent Primary Care Trust, Voluntary Sector, Kent Drug & Alcohol Action Team, West Kent Housing, Moat Housing, Kent Youth Offending Team and the Probation Service.
About the Clean Kent Campaign
1. The Clean Kent Campaign is a multi-agency project facilitated by Kent County Council in partnership with the district and borough councils, Kent Police, Kent Fire & Rescue Service, Crown Prosecution Service, the Highways Agency, Kent Probation Area and the Environment Agency amongst others.
2. The Clean Kent Campaign recognises that Kent is a clean and beautiful county in which to live, work and enjoy. One of the ways in which the Campaign aims to protect and preserve the natural beauty of the county is by reducing instances of fly tipping and littering, thereby improving the overall quality of the Kent environment.
3. Litter, rubbish, fly tipping and abandoned vehicles are seen as key manifestations of anti-social behaviour and potentially in turn, crime. The Clean Kent Campaign recognises all of these issues and the adverse effect that they may have on the quality of life, tourism and economic development. Where anti-social behaviour is present, crime invariably follows.
4. With new powers under the Clean Neighbourhoods Act 2005, district and borough Councils are able to issue fixed penalty notices for those caught littering (fines which can be up to £80). For those caught fly-tipping the penalties are greater and offenders could face 5 years imprisonment or a £50,000 fine.
