BASINGSTOKE Leisure Park is the latest focus for a litter bug crackdown by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s community safety patrollers.

Patrollers have now started issuing on-the-spot fines to anyone seen dropping their litter at the popular visitor attraction after they acted on feedback that some people are not using the bins or taking their rubbish home with them.

Despite takeaway retailers providing bins and carrying out their own regular litter picks, the patrollers have been shocked by the number of people throwing fast food wrappers anywhere, including out of car windows.

The patrollers will be working with local businesses and security staff and using CCTV to catch offenders and issue fines.

They will also be regularly monitoring the situation in the car parks at the leisure park following reports of anti-social behaviour in these areas.

The leisure park campaign is the latest project to target anti-social behaviour ‘hotspots’ across the borough.

The patrollers are focusing on local issues after the borough council took over running the service in January, when Hampshire County Council stopped its accredited community safety service.

Patrol officers work closely with communities and the police-led ‘safer neighbourhood’ teams, carrying out high visibility patrols, deterring and combating anti-social behaviour and providing reassurance to the public.

Deputy leader of the borough council, Councillor Ranil Jayawardena, said: “Anti-social behaviour of any kind is just not acceptable. That’s why we have pledged a zero tolerance approach to tackle these issues.

“Dropping litter shows a disregard for other people and the local environment, which can escalate to more serious anti-social behaviour that makes people’s lives a misery.

"Our half-a-million-pound investment to keep the community safety patrol officers on our streets means that we can act on things that residents have told us are most important to them."