by Gerry Warren

Next time you see a traffic warden keep your dog in check! For car patrollers are set to clean up... litter and dog mess.

New powers are being drawn up which could extend traffic wardens' duties to include dishing out other penalties, including litter fines.

The revelation came at a panel meeting of Canterbury council during a debate on litter.

Cllr Nick Eden-Green appealed for greater enforcement following a big voluntary clean-up organised by the City Centre Partnership, which collected dozens of bags of rubbish.

So far this year, street wardens have issued 19 fixed penalty notices to individuals for dropping litter. The fine is £80, or £50 if paid within 10 days.

The council's head of housing, community safety and environment, Larissa Laing, said the authority was consulting with its staff on the changes in their roles and the additional training they would need.

They would also be given to other street scene staff, with the aim of creating one large team capable of clamping down on the anti-social activity.

After the meeting she explained: "We want to make the best use of our resources and increase our effectiveness.

"But that does not mean we will be increasing the number of people in our parking patrols.

"The exact job description has yet to be evaluated because it is a completely new area for us but we want to get it up and running as soon as possible."

Chairman of the Canterbury Society Jan Pahl, who took part in the Big Clean initiative, welcomed the planned new measures.

She said: "Litter is a serious problem in the city and perhaps handing out a few, well publicised fines would set down a marker that it is not acceptable.

"Traffic wardens are out and about and the more eyes there are on the streets the better."

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