ENFORCEMENT officers working for Fermanagh and Omagh District Council are to to be provided with dashboard cameras for their vehicles in the fight against illegal littering in the area.

In a report presented this month to the local authority’s Environmental Services Committee, it was revealed that, of 11 cases prepared for court proceedings by Council enforcement officers in 2015-16, five were lost as there was a lack of evidence due to the sole reliance on the officer’s witness statement.

The report stated that the proposed introduction of vehicle dash cameras would provide images of offences to give “irrefutable evidence”.

“This will save time and the associated expenses in preparing cases for court and may also reduce the risk of aggressive behaviour from perpetrators once they are made aware that incontrovertible evidence exists,” the report’s author stated.

As well as assisting with providing better enforcement evidence, the report anticipates that this initiative would also provide an additional deterrent to littering, fly-tipping and dog fouling – so helping to reduce the cost of litter clearance and street cleansing.

According to the report, the purpose of the ‘dash cams’ will be to record images of “illegal littering acts”.

“All evidence will be fairly examined in each case with all imaging subject to the strict confidentiality policy and legal requirements of the Council,” the report stated.

It also revealed that signs would be displayed on the two work vehicles informing members of the public that images were being monitored and recorded for the purposes of the enforcement of The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011.

The report’s author added that a privacy impact screening with a full data check had been undertaken to ensure that the proposal complied with the eight data protection principles in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

The proposed introduction of the ‘dash cams’ is just one of a series of initiatives being considered by the Council to combat litter, fly-tipping and dog fouling.

The author stated: “Whilst litter, fly-tipping and dog fouling present a public health hazard and a visual nuisance, there is a host of unknown and unforeseen costs, including personal injury, damage to property and the loss of amenity and tourism income, all of which unnecessarily dilute Council resources.

“This paper seeks to commence a series of initiatives to attempt to reverse this increasing trend through a combination of more successful enforcement and the changing of people’s behaviour and attitude with regard to littering, fly-tipping and dog fouling.”

According to the report, new signage, estimated to cost £2,000, highlighting the issues will be erected at identified areas across the Council area.

The local authority will also identify dog foul infringement ‘hot spots’ in Fermanagh and Omagh, as a trial of a similar initiative that has been undertaken by Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.

The procurement and installation of additional dog fouling bins has also been proposed.

Meanwhile, the report revealed that the Council is currently issuing dog foul bags and a dispenser through the PCSP and dog wardens direct to pet owners.

The estimated cost of procuring and issuing these items is £1,000.