A new contract with NES (National Enforcement Solutions) Ltd to enforce fly-tipping and littering offences in Harlow is now in operation.
NES had originally been appointed by Harlow Council in 2020 to issue fines for fly-tipping offences and littering, on a trial basis.
Following the expiry of the trial, the council ran an open tender process with updated requirements to reflect the authority’s aspiration to prevent fly-tipping and littering through a greater focus on education. Four companies submitted bids, with NES’s bid found to be the highest quality.
The new three-year contract required bidders to dedicate at least a quarter of their time and resources to investigating and enforcing fly-tipping offences, and to have an educational offering too.
As part of their bid, NES committed to exceed the 25% fly-tipping target and to deploy Automatic Number-Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to identified hotspots as part of an intelligence-led approach.
They also offered over 200 hours of time towards a public education programme, alongside a new environmental crime awareness course aimed at repeat offenders.
NES also committed to two new apprenticeship positions to boost local employment opportunities.
“The new contract also guarantees a greater focus on tackling fly-tipping. We need to do better at taking on those dumping large amounts of rubbish in Harlow’s estates and on our grass verges.”
Councillor Nicky Purse, Portfolio Holder for Environment, said:
“We look forward to continuing to work closely with NES as we refocus our efforts on reducing fly-tipping and littering across our town.
“We know that fines are an important part of the effort to reduce littering but that they won’t work on their own. That’s why the new contract with NES includes dedicated time to educating people about the damaging environmental consequences of littering. This will involve getting out into local schools, and a new environmental crime awareness course for persistence offenders.
“The new contract also guarantees a greater focus on tackling fly-tipping. We need to do better at taking on those dumping large amounts of rubbish in Harlow’s estates and on our grass verges.
“This continues the work we’ve done with NES already to move their focus away from punishing Harlow residents for minor offences near their homes, and towards the real fly-tippers who simply don’t care about the impact they are having on Harlow or have any pride in our town.”
At the meeting of Cabinet in December 2022 it was agreed to enter into a contract with NES, which started in January 2023.
