Small voluntary groups in Ferryside are being fined or are being threatened with fines and prosecution for simply putting up leaflets and posters advertising forthcoming events. This is a time honoured way for folk in Ferryside to become aware of the various activities and events taking place in the village – not any more! The advice offered by the Environmental Enforcement Officer in his letter( plus picture of our offending poster )to the Forum was for us to use the (small) public notice board outside the toilets. He also sent us a leaflet setting out the county policy, the only problem being that it does not match the much tougher policy now being followed. http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/english/environment/streetcleaning/pages/flyposting.aspx

Here is a small sample ;

Signs/posters/banners on our roads must be:

• Notified to the Street Works Section by email to Streetcare@carmarthenshire.gov.uk giving a minimum of 10 days notice, accompanied by photos and dimensions of the signs and location plan of proposed locations. The Street Works Section will consult the Environmental Enforcement Team / Area Office / Traffic Management staff. Signage will be tolerated if no objections are received. However, should any highways staff deem the signage to be a hazard the right to remove it is retained at all times.

• Have a minimum clearance of 2.1 metres above any footway or walkway.

• Be a minimum of 0.45 metres from the edge of carriageway.

• Of presentable quality.

• Be erected for no longer than 14 days prior to an event.

• Less than three miles from the location of the event.

• Generally be removed three days after the event has finished.

THE OFFENDING POSTER

The Carmarthenshire County Council- Environment and Public Protection department recently posted a press release  “The number of litter fines has … increased by 58%, from 182 in 2011/12 to 287 in 2012/13.
Officers handed out 31 fixed penalty notices for graffiti / fly-posting and a total of 93 offences were also prosecuted in court.
The increase is a result of the new council administration following last May’s elections which pledged to get tough on dog fouling and litter. 
Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “We don’t want to fine people, but if they fail to take notice of our warnings then we have no choice.”

Councillor Jim Jones could usefully pay Ferryside a visit and see for himself the impact of his new policy on our community.