Could controversial litter enforcer Kingdom be headed for the bin?

That’s the question being asked after the unpopular “litter police” used by Kirklees Council had their contract terminated by another authority.

The Cheshire-based firm was put in charge of enforcing littering, dog fouling and a range of other environmental policies in April last year.

But since its official one-year trial ended in April it has been retained by Kirklees on a four-week rolling contract.

Questions are now being asked over Kingdom’s long-term future with Kirklees after councillors with Flintshire County Council in North Wales terminated the firm’s contract.

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It followed a strong backlash from the public over officers’ approach, which was considered heavy-handed.

Flintshire will stop using the company from the end of December.

And it could conceivably result in a domino effect after people in cities including Bristol and Liverpool also reported wrongly-issued fines, disputes over public and private land, and over-zealous staff.

Figures published last year revealed it was making £50,000 a month in Kirklees.

A senior Kirklees councillor has said the authority wishes to move away from an approach that is based purely on the issue of fines to one that works with the community “to change behaviours”.

Kingdom’s civil enforcement officers can hand out on-the-spot £75 fines for anyone caught littering.

Figures published last year revealed it was making £50,000 a month in Kirklees.

It has been indicated by councillors that Kirklees said it was his understanding that Kingdom was getting 85% ( £63.75), leaving the council with just £11.25 from each ticket.

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But the private litter patrollers have been accused of using a range of intimidatory tactics to encourage people to pay up, such as pretending to phone the police.

Examples of their behaviour include operating on private property - such as in Sainsbury’s or in KFC - and targeting shoppers and customers.

A woman walking her dog in Fenay Bridge was fined £75 by Kingdom operatives for “anti-social behaviour” after letting her animal off the lead near a beck.

“We are currently reviewing our approach to littering and enviro-crime"

Two other members of the public were also issued with fixed penalties in the same location.

All three fines were later quashed.

Clr Naheed Mather, Kirklees Council’s cabinet member for communities and environment, said: “The contract we had with Kingdom is no longer in place, and instead what we have is a rolling four-week contract.

“We are currently reviewing our approach to littering and enviro-crime, and want to move away from an approach which is based purely on the issue of fines, to one which works with the community to change behaviours.

“Although enforcement action will have to be taken in some instances, that should not be the first and only response.

“Ultimately we want people to take pride in their local area, and work with the council to make the environment the best it can be for those that live, work and visit here.”

October 2017 - Grandmother Kathryn Dhurmea followed by five enforcement officers and fined for having her dog off the lead.

October 2017 - Charity worker Karen Whimpenny is falsely accused of dropping a cigarette butt outside the MIND shop in Huddersfield town centre. The officer rudely confronted her in front of customers.

March 2018 - Shoppers at Sainsbury’s Shorehead store are handed fixed penalty notices. Kirklees Council later says litter officers can operate on private land.

May 2018 - Single mum Suzanne Wilton denies she dropped a cigarette butt and refuses to pay fine. She says officers’ “intimidating” behaviour left her feeling humiliated.

July 2018 - Company director Roger Earle is fined for flicking a cigarette butt out of his car window in the car park of a KFC drive-thru. He said the litter squad was operating from their car.