Graffiti fly poster removal policy document November 2010 (2).pdf	189 KB	17/11/2010 15:03
NCC public open spaces	149 KB	14/01/2013 12:02

Neighbourhood services, in partnership with some town and parish councils, provide horticultural features in our town centres, parks and gardens. A programme of shrub pruning and maintenance is undertaken on a three-yearly cycle.
 
Weed killing is performed from April to October each year. The chemical herbicide used is based on Glyphosate, which has been subject to extensive testing and regulatory assessment in the EU, USA and by the World Health Organisation.

The council only uses products approved and licensed for amenity use.  These products are considered to be relatively non-toxic to dogs and other domestic animals.  However, if you are concerned as to the welfare of your pet then contact your veterinarian.
 

The council’s grass-cutting operations commence from the beginning of April until the end of September, depending on conditions. The grass is cut around once every 14 days during this period.

The council cuts grass in some housing estates, parks, schools, highway verges and open spaces throughout the county, as well as in out-of-town amenities and country lanes.

Additional cuts may be requested by town and parish councils and housing companies in October and March. If a member of the public is particularly concerned about grass on footpaths, they can report the problem below or ring customer services on 0345 6006400.

Report an issue with grass cutting online

We do not collect grass cuttings, except on plots within elderly people’s residential developments.

The council is responsible for removing litter and detritus from all ‘A’ roads within Northumberland, including the sections of the A1 and A19.

The Highways Agency’s contractor A-one+ cuts the grass, repairs fences and fills potholes on the A1 and A19. Northumberland County Council are responsible for removing litter from the verges and central reservations.

Northumberland County Council endeavours to remove litter and detritus from ‘hot spot’ areas on major roads in Northumberland at least once a year. However, the division of responsibility presents a number of difficulties.

If there is no pavement or safe access, permission has to be obtained from the Highways Agency to carry out lane closures. To avoid congestion and achieve journey time reliability targets, the agency often requires closures to take place at night.

To deal with the challenges of safe working on high speed roads at night, we work in partnership with A-one+, the Highways Agency contractor, to carry out staff inductions, allowing our cleansing teams to take advantage of scheduled traffic management and lane closures already arranged by A-one+.

• To report a litter ‘hot spot’ on the A1 or A19 or any other major road within Northumberland, call 0345 600 6400 or report online.

The graded standards shown below are used to monitor the cleanliness of areas.

For litter and refuse 

Grade	Definition
A	No litter or refuse
B	Mostly free of litter and refuse apart from some small items
C	Widespread distribution of litter and/or refuse with minor accumulations
D	Heavily affected by litter and/or refuse with significant accumulations

For detritus (mud, soil, grit etc.):

Grade	Definition
A	No detritus
B	Predominantly free of detritus, except for light scattering
C	Widespread distribution of detritus with minor accumulations
D	Heavily affected by detritus with significant accumulations

• To report litter or request street cleansing, call 0345 600 6400.

If you see a damaged or overflowing bin, report it to us using the online form below. You can also use this form to request a new public litter bin. Please note this form is to be used to contact us about public litter bins e.g. in parks, on lamposts or on pavements.

• Request a new litter bin or report a damaged/overflowing bin here.

Dog fouling can be bagged and disposed of in normal litter bins. We encourage the public not to place dog fouling into bins within children's play areas.

Dog owners have a responsibility to pick up after their pets and should place bagged dog fouling in a litter bin/dog waste bin or take bagged dog waste home with them.

• To report a dog fouling hot spot or to request dog fouling removal, click here.
• Or, call 0345 600 6400.

Councils appoint officers to issue fixed penalty notices to people dropping litter. An offender has 14 days to pay the fixed penalty of £80 or £65 if paid within 7 days.. Failure to pay the fine will result in the case being taken to court and a potentially a maximum fine of £2,500.

Click here for the Environmental Enforcement Fixed Penalty Notice Policy 2017
 

Thoughtless drivers and their passengers tossing litter from cars are costing the taxpayer millions each year in clean-up costs.

Throwing litter from moving vehicles is dangerous for other drivers and creates a mess and a hazard on our roadside verges.

• Report a vehicle littering incident here.
• Or, call 0345 600 6400 with details of the vehicle involved.

There are a number of areas in Northumberland affected by heavy leaf fall in the autumn.

These areas receive extra attention to ensure they are regularly swept of leaves, avoiding slippery and dangerous surfaces for pedestrians.

A list of the roads and public areas identified as a ‘leaf hotspot’ is kept in each depot and the areas receive extra attention throughout the autumn months.

• Report a leaf fall hotspot area or to request leaf removal here.
• Or, call 0345 600 6400.

1. Choose an area you want to clean up. If it’s public land maintained by Northumberland County Council, telephone 0345 6006400 and let us know the area you intend to litter pick. If it’s privately owned land, get permission from the landowner(s).

2. Decide when you want to do it.

3. Tell your friends, family and neighbours you need their help.

4. Northumberland County Council will provide litter pick packs for up to 20 people. These include:

• litter pickers
• rubbish sacks
• high-visibility waistcoats
• gloves

5. Contact Northumberland County Council. Call 0345 600 6400 to:

• arrange a collection point to have the collected rubbish taken away
• get advice on storing the rubbish safely until it can be collected (if necessary)
• obtain facilities to recycle items you collect on your litter pick, such as plastic bottles, drink cans

6. Complete a risk assessment. This simple procedure ensures you have considered any safety issues and taken necessary precautions to try and prevent them.

7. Prepare yourself and your helpers for the day:

• Decide where you will meet and at what time.
• Think about how to split the group up to cover the area.
• Decide how long you will litter pick and when you will take breaks.
• Think about refreshments and what toilet facilities are available.
• Think about first aid, safety and hygiene. Is there a first aider in the group? Do you have a supply of antibacterial wipes or hand gel? Take some plasters and antiseptic for any cuts or grazes.

8. Go through an activity planning checklist to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything.

9. Contact Northumberland County Council communcations team on 0345 600 6400 and let them know what you are doing. They may want to include your litter pick in the local papers or Northumberland magazine.

1. Brief the group on:

• health and safety. Check everyone has read the safety checklist, knows how to use the equipment and what to avoid.
• meeting points, break and finish times
• where to place the collected rubbish
• who the first aider is and/or what to do if an injury occurs

2. Check everyone is wearing or has appropriate clothing and footwear for the weather and terrain.

3. Ensure there is sufficient supervision for young/vulnerable volunteers.

4. Ask the group to be considerate to wildlife and people using the area

5. Exchange mobile phone numbers to ensure good communication links between the group.

Litter pick safety checklist

• Use gloves and avoid direct contact with litter at all times.
• Use a litter picking tool where possible for any glass and metal items.
• Any needles or sharp objects should be dealt with by a fully trained member of the Councils neighbourhood environmental action team. Do not pick up any suspect items, particularly those listed as hazards. Note their location and report them to the council immediately following the litter pick.
• Clean hands thoroughly before eating food or drinking.
• Rubbish should not be compressed using hands or feet, as this can accidentally puncture the skin.
• Avoid contact with the body when carrying plastic bin bags.
• Ensure any cuts or abrasions are clean and covered with a waterproof plaster.
• Wear stout shoes and waterproof clothing.
• Avoid lifting heavy objects or sacks alone – ask for assistance if required.
• Be aware of your environment and do not put yourself at risk while picking litter. 

Check Northumberland County Council has collected the rubbish as scheduled. If it has not been picked up, please contact us again.

• Click here to view or download the information sheet.
• Click here to view health and safety instructions for community litter picks.
• Click here to view an example of highways and neighbourhood services' litter picking risk assessment.

The council removes dead animals from public highways and open spaces, including the beach. We will collect anything larger than a cat.

We do not remove rabbits or small wild animals unless they are on a residential street and are causing offence or distress.

Further information can be obtained by contacting customer services on 0345 600 6400.

Below is a list of all public toilets in Northumberland, giving details of their facilities. If you have any issues and wish to report a problem, please use the link below:

• Report a public toilet problem here.

Alternatively, if you wish to make any comments or suggestions about any toilet units, please contact 0345 600 6400.

• Click here to see a list of public toilets in Northumberland and their opening times.

The Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (R.A.D.A.R), alongside disability organisations, local authorities and others, established a national key scheme (NKS) for toilets for disabled people in 1981.

The principle is if a local authority locks public toilets for disabled people, it can use a standard lock and make arrangements for disabled people to obtain a key.

Can I purchase a R.A.D.A.R key from Northumberland County Council?
You can obtain a key from tourist information centres or from customer services information centres throughout Northumberland at a cost of £3.60 including VAT.

R.A.D.A.R keys must have VAT charged at 20% unless a 0% VAT for individuals form is signed by each disabled person. This form is available to download here and from tourist information and customer service information centres. The key will fit all national toilets participating in the scheme.