District Enforcement

We work with District Enforcement - a company that specialises in enviro-crime enforcement – to issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) to those seen littering, failing to clear up after their dog or breaching Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).

Fixed Penalty Notices

Authorised officers from District Enforcement will issue a FPN to anyone they see, or have evidence to support, has committed an environmental crime. For example, dropping litter or failing to clean up after their dog. If you choose not to pay a FPN, court proceedings will begin. This could result in a fine of up to £2,500 and potential conviction at a Magistrates' Court.

A Fixed Penalty Notice could be issued if you: 
  • Drop litter - this includes chewing gum, fast food, fast food packaging, leftover fruit, drinks containers and sweet wrappers
  • Drop cigarette ends - cigarette waste should be disposed of in a bin (please ensure the cigarette is extinguished first). If you do not have access to a litter bin, why not carry a disposable ashtray with you or create one by placing some soil or sand in a small tin?
  • Fail to comply with a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) - for example, failing to pick up after the dog you are walking, not disposing of dog poo in the correct way or not having the means available to pick up after your dog. It is not a valid excuse to say that you didn’t see the dog fouling or that you forgot to bring a bag with you. Find out more about PSPOs.

Paying a Fixed Penalty Notice

You have 14 days to pay a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Pay your District Enforcement FPN online

Alternatively, call District Enforcement on 0151 647 0387.

If you cannot pay within 14 days, please email dacorum.council@district-enforcement.co.uk to discuss your circumstances. This will be reviewed and a payment extension may be granted. All correspondence details can be found on the Fixed Penalty Notice issued. Payments by instalment are not accepted.

If you choose not to pay the fixed penalty you will be prosecuted for the offence.

Appealing a Fixed Penalty Notice

There are no formal grounds of appeal against a FPN. While this is not an admission of guilt, by agreeing that an offence has been committed and by paying the FPN, no further action will be taken. Dealing with it in this manner saves time for everyone.

If you choose to pick up the litter or dog poo after an Enforcement Officer has approached you, a FPN will still be issued. Officers do not have discretion. The offence relates to the dropping of litter or failure to clean up after the dog and then walking away.

You can make a representation to District Enforcement in cases where:

  • you have an issue with the conduct of an Enforcement Officer
  • you would like to give reasons as to why a FPN should not have been issued
  • there are medical grounds - for example, the medical condition has had a direct effect in leading to the behaviour/offence. 

Please note: you will need to provide supporting written evidence to District Enforcement. You can email this to dacorum.council@district-enforcement.co.uk.

If the representation is denied or you do not pay the FPN, then the matter will be dealt with at a Magistrates' Court. It will then be up to the court to decide if an offence has been committed and whether any penalty should be imposed. Allowing the offence to progress to court therefore becomes the mechanism for those wishing to appeal a FPN.

District Enforcement Officers

District Enforcement Officers are experienced and professional. They work under the direction and on behalf of ourselves. They patrol any area of land open to public access. This includes town centres, villages, parks and other environmental hotspots.

They are specialists in their field, and we give them clear and defined delegated powers. They follow current legislative guidelines and our enforcement policy.

All officers are screened and vetted by the Disclosure and Barring Service, in compliance with British Standard 7858:2012. They receive intensive introductory training and ongoing professional development to maintain high standards. They wear body cameras to ensure footage of every interaction between officers and members of the public is recorded. Officers are not paid against the number of Fixed Penalty Notices they issue. They are paid an hourly rate and do not receive any bonuses.

To make a complaint about an officer, write to dacorum.council@district-enforcement.co.uk. Complaints are handled in line with established procedures. Please note: making a complaint is dealt separately to the issued FPN. You remain liable to prosecution unless you pay the FPN within the timescale specified.

More information

District Enforcement has a helpful list of frequently asked questions on its website.

warning signChanges to services over Easter: Due to the bank holidays, our Customer Service Centres will be closed on Friday 29 March and Monday 1 April 2024. There are also changes to your bin collections.  ×

Page Last Updated: Thursday, 21 December 2023 at 12:42 PM

In this section