EAST Hampshire District Council has been shortlisted for a national award after launching a partnership to cut litter and dog fouling on the streets and in open areas.

The authority’s innovative, wholly-owned litter enforcement company is working with seven other councils to help keep their neighbourhoods clean and litter-free at no cost to the public.

The service has been short-listed by the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards 2020 for public authority partnerships, and the winner will be announced in March.

To combat littering and dog fouling, the council launched EH Commercial Services Ltd – known as EH – to improve the environment through ethical litter enforcement.

The service aims to run on a cost-neutral basis, with any surplus being ploughed back into environmental services.

EH’s public service ethos sets it apart from private litter enforcement companies that are motivated primarily by profit.

The council’s head of commercial development Chris Bradley said: “We understand the negative impact littering and dog fouling can have on communities, businesses and the environment.

“We were not happy with profit-driven private sector enforcement companies, so we decided to try something different and ensure any money received is returned to the public purse. Including EHDC and Havant Borough Council, eight councils have signed up to the partnership, receiving an ethical high-quality service at minimal cost.

“Litter is not an easy issue to tackle so we are delighted to see our work has been recognised with the award shortlisting.”

The highest proportion of litter dropped in the UK is cigarette butts, making up more than half of litter dropped. They are highly toxic to wildlife and are often washed through drains into waterways where they release poisons such as arsenic, lead and nicotine.

Less litter also reduces the costs of street cleaning, which can run into tens of thousands of pounds every year.

Littering is a criminal offence and officers are empowered by the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to ask for an individual’s address and personal details when issuing a ticket.

A failure to provide these details is a separate criminal offence under the act which may be prosecuted in addition to the littering offence.