City wardens

City wardens observe and report environmental issues and help develop local knowledge and links with community and other local services.

What do city wardens do?

City wardens investigate complaints and take action on a wide range of environmental issues. These include:

• Fly-tipping investigations and enforcement
• Litter, graffiti, fly-posting and leaflet distribution reporting and investigations
• Nuisance parking (vehicles for sale or being repaired on the highway)
• Dog fouling
• Waste offences
• Smokefree offences
• Enforcement of unlicensed skips, scaffolding and hoardings
• Untidy land, grass or shrubs
• A boards
• Bins left on streets
• Street trading.

On-the-spot enforcement

City wardens can issue on-the-spot fixed penalty notices for:

• Litter
• Graffiti and fly-posting
• Unauthorised distribution of free printed material
• Smokefree offences
• Failure to comply with street litter control notice
• Spitting in the streets
• Nuisance parking offences
• Failure to produce waste transfer/license documents
• Removal of unauthorised signs on the highway
• Dog control offences.

Can I appeal?

You can only appeal a fixed penalty notice in court. If you receive a fine and want to challenge it, you can request a court hearing in writing. We will also send a court summons if we have not received payment within 14 days.

If you lose your case, you may be liable to a higher fine and a criminal record. You will also be liable for court costs.

Where can I go for advice?

Your local Citizens Advice Bureau, or a solicitor, will be able to advise you on challenging your fine in court.

Rubbish and untidy land

City wardens investigate complaints about rubbish in gardens, private land and alleyways. They will take action if there is a statutory nuisance, or if the condition of the land is considered an eyesore.

Alleyway clearance

City wardens don't clear rubbish dumped in alleyways as this is the responsibility of the occupants of the adjacent properties with access, regardless of who has dumped the rubbish. If we have the rubbish removed by a private contractor, the occupants of each property that has access will be charged.

The easiest way to clear unwanted rubbish for a household is by booking a free bulky waste collection. We will collect up to five bulky items such as a sofa, mattress or fridge and up to 15 bags or bundles of garden waste.

Attending community meetings and initiatives

Every warden attends their ward meeting to report on what they have achieved, what work is being done in the ward. They will also listen to the public and address any concerns. The wardens attend carnivals, festivals and fetes and community initiatives and are able to provide an information stand to promote the service and campaigns.

Promoting proper waste storage and recycling

The wardens can advise where waste is not stored correctly or not appropriately recycled. They also provide information about domestic flytipping, side waste and promote the use of our free bulky waste collection service. They can also provide advice and enforcement to businesses who do not have a legal waste collection in place.

Skips scaffolding, builders materials and hoardings

City wardens will check conditions are observed for all licensed skips, scaffold, builders materials such as bricks or sand and hoardings on the highways. You can find out more about skips, scaffolding and hoardings.

Dog control orders in public spaces

A Public Spaces Protection Order for dog control was implemented city-wide on 1 December 2016. A fixed penalty notice of £100 is applicable and applies to irresponsible dog ownership. Full details of the dog control orders that apply can be found on our Dog control page.