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, or breaching Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).

Fixed Penalty Notices

Authorised officers from District Enforcement can issue a FPN if they see - or have evidence that - you have committed an environmental crime.

You could receive a Fixed Penalty Notice 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 is litter and should be disposed of in a bin (make sure it is fully extinguished first). If no bin is available, consider carrying a disposable ashtray or using a small tin filled with sand or soil.
• Fail to comply with a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) - for example, not picking up after the dog you are walking, not disposing of dog poo correctly or not having a bag to clean 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.
• Pick up litter or dog waste only after an Enforcement Officer approaches you – the offence occurs when you drop litter or fail to clean up after your dog and then walk away.
• Drink alcohol or have an open container of alcohol in a public place and act in a manner that is causing (or likely to cause) alarm and distress

Find out more about PSPOs.

How to pay a Fixed Penalty Notice

Once issued, 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 can't pay within 14 days but intend to, email dacorum.council@district-enforcement.co.uk to discuss your situation. A payment extension may be granted after review.

Please note: Payments by instalment are not accepted. Check your FPN for full contact details. 

Appealing a Fixed Penalty Notice

There are no formal appeal grounds for a FPN, but you can submit a representation with supporting evidence for a case review. This review may uphold or withdraw the FPN.

How to make a representation

Before paying the FPN, you can make a representation to District Enforcement if:

• 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
• you have a medical condition that has had a direct effect in leading to the behaviour/offence. 

Please note: Simply disagreeing with the FPN is not enough. You must provide written evidence to support your representation.

To submit a representation, email: dacorum.council@district-enforcement.co.uk.

What happens next

The enforcement company will acknowledge your representation, and the FPN payment deadline will be extended while under review.

You will be notified of the outcome. If successful, the FPN will be cancelled. If declined, you can request a further review by the Council.

To request a further review:

• Email ecp@dacorum.gov.uk or
• Post to Environmental and Community Protection, The Forum, Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 1DN.

We will review the FPN/representation and consider any mitigating circumstances. Our decision is final. If unsuccessful, the payment deadline will restart from the decision date.

If you do not pay the FPN at this point, the case is likely to go to a Magistrates' Court. The court will decide if an offence has been committed and what penalty applies.

If you receive a FPN and simply choose not to pay it, we may instigate court proceedings. This could result in a fine of up to £2,500 and potential conviction at a Magistrates' Court.

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.

Making a complaint

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: complaints are handled separately from FPNs. 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.