Co-production of this strategy

The strategy was put together by working with community members and volunteers from across the borough. This included members of the Litter and Environmental Crime Forum, to make sure everyone understood the priorities and objectives. Our volunteers play a vital role in tackling litter and environmental crime across the borough. Their commitment to regular clean-ups, awareness campaigns, and community education initiatives ensures that our streets, parks, and public spaces remain tidy and inviting. Their first hand experience and insights into the challenges and needs of our communities have been vital during the creation of this plan.

We'd like to thank all the community members and volunteers who helped construct this plan.

Image: Litter and Environmental Crime Forum

Litter and Environmental Crime Forum

We co-produced this plan with dedicated community volunteers. This made sure it reflects the needs of our communities.

To make sure this plan remains active and impactful it will be overseen by our Litter and Environmental Crime Forum. This is made up of people from across Barnsley who oversee and contribute to putting the plan into action.

If you're interested in learning more or want to know if there's a vacancy for your area, please reach out to us.

We also host events for environmental volunteers to collaborate, learn, and shape our initiatives. To find out more about these events, please contact us. We'll also be advertising these on our social media channels - so keep a look out!

The Litter and Environmental Crime Forum attended a lunch with the mayor to thank them for their hard work for producing the strategy.

Changing behaviours and education

Making positive changes across the borough to help us to protect our environment.

Shared priorities:

• Work to better understand the reasons behind littering and fly-tipping.
• Develop positive relationships and behaviours towards the environment. We'll do this through schools and other places of education.
• Develop campaigns to raise awareness on recycling right, protecting the environment, and the consequences of environmental crime.
• Work with communities and volunteers to encourage them to help keep Barnsley clean and green.
• Share the fantastic work volunteers and community groups do across Barnsley. 

Our Everybody Think Facebook page is where we post about environmental crime and litter. It promotes recycling tips and how residents can be waste wise. It also tackles fly-tipping by outlining the consequences and posting about convictions.

Strengthening community ownership and local partnerships

Embedding community ownership and strengthening local partnerships to tackle litter and environmental crime.

Shared priorities:

• Build on local partnerships between the council and environmental volunteers.
• Use and share local information and links, connecting volunteers and services.
• Make sure communities are involved in planning, developing and delivering responses. This will make sure we meet local needs.
• Making it easier for volunteers to do the best they can by providing equipment and support.
• Develop and review a community led environmental forum. This will oversee delivery of the environment and litter crime plan.
• Enable volunteers to feel supported, safe and valued. Offering health and safety training, advice and information.

Our volunteers already do an incredible job around our boroughs. During the 2023/24 financial year they collected 8,385 purple bags of litter, helping keep our town clean and green.

Improving infrastructure and resources

Ensuring our litter bins are located where they are needed most to keep Barnsley litter free.

Shared priorities:

• We'll monitor and review litter bin use, reports of a build up of litter and complaints. We'll then make this data available.
• We'll work across council departments, with communities and volunteers to look at options to relocate bins and improve litter prevention.
• Where litter bins are not being used correctly, for example by businesses or extra household waste, we'll work to resolve this.
• We'll continue to look at how practical it is for litter to be recycled. We'll also look at new legislation such as a deposit return scheme for bottles.

Strengthening our service offer

Co-design and deliver services. Use data and feedback from residents, businesses and volunteers.

Shared priorities:

• We'll work with volunteers and communities to share ownership and delivery of this strategy and delivery plan.
• We'll create a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable Barnsley.
• We'll work together to look for ways to help our residents, communities and businesses responsible for their recycling and waste disposal.
• We'll share data so we can understand problems and work together to find solutions. 

Better enforcement

To ensure a consistent and robust approach when dealing with those who commit environmental crime through legal and restorative channels.

Shared priorities:

• Prompt recording, investigation and targeting of offences and offenders when evidence is received.
• More details published of enforcement activity and how to report it. Creation of a quarterly newsletter to update the community, residents and businesses on how we're tackling environmental crime.
• Regular highly visible patrols and engagement in areas of increased environmental crime.
• Increasing fixed penalty notice fine amounts for environmental offences.
• Proactive visits to businesses across Barnsley to make sure that waste is being stored and disposed of in the correct manner.

Increased Fixed Penalty Notice

As part of the strategy, we've increased fixed penalty tariffs for environmental offences. This is in line with the Environmental Offences Fixed Regulation 2023 and will help to show a strong message to anyone considering committing an offence.

You can report fly-tipping via our website.

You can also read about what we are doing to tackle fly-tipping.

The Litter and Fly Tipping Plan shows our desire to promoting sustainable practices, enhancing community well-being, and preserving the local environment. The progress against the plan will be reviewed annually. This will make sure we remain accountable and deliver continuous improvement against environmental crime.