EDUCATION is the key to reducing the instances of fly posting, litter and graffiti across the borough, according to councillors.
It comes as a new partnership is being finalised that will allow Police Community Support Officers to issue warnings and fixed penalty notices.
High Peak Borough Council Leader Tony Ashton said he hoped that the £50 fines would be used as a last r
esort: "It is about education."
At the moment the number of enforcement officers available in High Peak is one – with the addition of PCSOs it is set to rise to 19.
Cllr John Haken said PCSOs had expressed an interest in working with schools to educate young people about litter.
"It is not expected to be a revenue earner in any way. If there is an excess, fines will be put into the community," he said.
The importance of training for council staff involved was stressed by Cllr Emily Thrane who said it was important the policy was consistent.
Cllr David Lomax said: "We need good publicity so people are aware this is what is happening.
"It is good news for us –doing something to improve the cleaner image of the council, but we need to make sure we are not just fining people willy nilly."
He said he hoped it would not be long before dog fouling was included as it was an issue which prompted the most complaints.
Cllr John Pritchard said: "There has been a growing lack of respect for the public realm.
"I hope this final raft of new legislation leads to the public understanding that they have got to treat the environment with more respect to not drop chewing gum, not drop their litter and not so much fly posting and graffiti."
The full article contains 294 words and appears in Buxton Advertiser newspaper.
