CONWY County Borough Council could scrap litter enforcement altogether after controversial firm Kingdom quit its deal with the authority.

Members of the authority’s economy and place committee meeting had expected to have almost a year to look at replacements for the unpopular firm.

They had agreed to set up a committee to look at the alternatives while the council wound down the contract over nine months.

But that plan was scuppered when Kingdom decided not to renew its contract with the council.

Councillors will still look into the alternatives including whether the authority should continue with enforcement.

The firm had become increasingly unpopular with councillors and residents amid concerns about how its staff dealt with the public.

Kingdom had been hired by the council to enforce littering rules and were given the power to fine people its staff said had been littering, failing to pick up the their dog’s mess or walking their dogs in restricted areas.

Some people complained that staff from the firm had been rude and aggressive in handing out fines.

And councillors complained that they targeted big towns at the expense of more rural areas.

A report before councillors said: “Enforcement must be exercised in such a way as to uphold public confidence in a fair judicial system.

“A review of the different potential environmental enforcement service models and arrangements will take place to enable the council to determine what, if any, arrangements it should put

in place for environmental enforcement.

“Consideration will be given as far as possible to both local and regional arrangements.

“Enforcement is a valid and legitimate tool for helping to ensure local environmental quality, environmental quality being mainly the responsibility in Conwy of environment, roads and facilities. Any enforcement should not be seen as or used in isolation, however.”

NThe ferret has been taken to the RSPCA. Picture: North Wales Police/Twitter A ‘task and finish’ group was set up to look at alternatives to Kingdom, including scrapping enforcement, bringing the service in house or banding together with other North Wales councils to have one body to enforce the rules.

It is expected to report next April.

Colwyn county councillor Brian Cossey was happy with what he felt was a comprehensive proposal to set up the group.

He said: “All of this is positive, all possible approaches have been looked at and I would recommend we accept this and appoint a politically balanced group to look at it.”

Councillors agreed unanimously to set up the 15-member ‘task and finish’ group.