Haringey’s parks could do with the rubbish collection services of the Wombles of Wimbledon Common after it disclosed that no fines have been issued for littering or dog mess in any of Haringey’s parks for the last five years.

As a result of the Labour council’s failure to act, litterbugs and irresponsible dog owners have been given a free pass to make Haringey’s parks a mess.

The lack of fines follows the Labour council’s decision to cut the parks’ police in 2008. The Parks’ Police used to patrol the borough’s green spaces and stop littering. Instead the council have tried to rely on local Safer Neighbourhood Teams to patrol the parks.

Cllr Richard Wilson, Lib Dem Leader of the opposition, comments:

“Residents will be outraged to learn that nobody has been fined for littering in Haringey’s parks and open spaces for at least 5 years.  No wonder our parks are often left covered in rubbish and dog mess when Haringey Council can’t be bothered to enforce its own rules on littering and dog fouling.  By failing to stop people spoiling our parks the Council is letting down the vast majority of responsible park users who don’t drop litter.

“As well as making sure our green spaces are cleaned and bins are emptied, the Council has duty to stop irresponsible people littering and allowing their dogs to foul our parks.  But ever since the Labour council axed the Parks’ Police in 2008 its clear nothing has been done to challenge the unacceptable behaviour of those few idiots who wreck our parks.

“The council need to clean up our precious green spaces, and put in place parks staff who have the power to stop people littering.”

Lynne Featherstone, Lib Dem MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, adds:

“We were furious when Haringey Council disbanded the Parks’ Police. They said they would be introducing replacement services, but that clearly hasn’t happened.

“Now, our parks can be littered and vandalised without consequence, spoiling it for the majority of people who want to enjoy our open spaces.

“The Labour administration needs to get their act together and sort this out – before our parks are ruined for good.”