No Big Brother patrol for litter

PLANS to introduce fine-issuing litter wardens on the town's streets have been thrown out.

The scheme could have seen a team of wardens patrolling streets around Brentwood's town centre with the power to issue fixed penalty notices against anyone seen littering or committing other low-level environmental crimes.

But the environmental panel threw out the plans, arguing they smacked too much of Big Brother. They also said the scheme would probably operate at massive and non-justifiable losses. Colchester Borough Council spent £120,000 on a similar scheme last year but only received £20,000 in fines.

Brentwood council had estimated it would cost at least £50,000 for a two-man team to patrol Brentwood alone.

Lib Dem leader Cllr David Kendall said: "I don't believe we need fixed penalty warden teams for litter in Brentwood.

"It smacks of Big Brother and it wouldn't be welcomed by our residents.

"Results from other areas suggest the schemes they have introduced are not producing the financial returns they expected.

"If we have any extra funds to combat litter then I believe they should be invested in our street cleaning operation."