Four ‘litter officers’ have been assaulted at work in Manchester in the space of a month, the MEN can reveal.
Two of those required hospital treatment, it’s understood, as they attempted to issue a fine to a litterbug in the city. Another two incidents were ‘unprovoked’, it has been confirmed, and did not require medical attention.
Manchester City Council has confirmed the awful figures after it signed a new deal to sub-contract litter enforcement to Wise (Waste Investigations, Support, and Enforcement) Ltd. That contract began in February of this year, and the three assaults have taken place since then.
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“It is simply appalling that anyone should be assaulted or be threatened with violence simply for doing their job,” a statement from the council said. “Where appropriate, we will work with our colleagues in Greater Manchester Police to bring those responsible to account.
“The council can confirm that there have been three separate incidents involving four officers since the contract with Wise commenced in February 2023. Of the incidents recorded only one was in relation to the attempted issuing of a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN). The other two incidents were unprovoked.”
One incident took place in the week of February 27, the council’s spokesperson added, but did not confirm when the others occurred. They also did not confirm the location of the assaults.
As of summer 2021, there were 750 litter bins in the city centre, with 3,000 across Manchester. The council has been on numerous drives to curb littering, including upping the maximum fine to £150 at the start of the decade.
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