The operation, on Wednesday 19 July in Plumstead, was aimed at tackling littering, commercial waste nuisance, criminal landlords, fly-tipping and privately owned untidy land.

The day of action brought together officers from the Glyndon team of the Metropolitan Police, Planning Enforcement, Environmental Health, Waste Advisors, Town Centre Wardens equipped with state-of-the-art body cameras and Enviro-crime officers from the Plumstead Fly-tipping Task Force.

Enforcement operation

The operation resulted in:

• 54 Duty of Care inspections carried out on premises
• 21 Statutory Notices served on businesses; non-compliance within 7 days will result in each business being fined £300
• 6 on the spot fines issued totalling £1100
• 7 privately owned plots of land identified as potentially being a nuisance; Enviro-crime Officers will be serving compliance notices to the landowners
• The securing of immediate voluntary compliance with requests to remove goods and tables and chairs outside the front of two premises.

The Royal Borough's Private Rented Sector Housing Enforcement Programme Team also investigated potential criminal landlord activity as part of the operation. A House in Multiple Occupation was found to be overcrowded with dangerous electrical wiring, poor fire precautions and unacceptable bathroom facilities.

An Emergency Prohibition Order was issued requiring the property be closed immediately to prevent tenants being further put at risk. The landlord will be subject to a criminal investigation while the Royal Borough provides support to the tenants.

The enforcement action comes after a concerted effort by the Royal Borough to encourage over 20 businesses and shop owners to tidy their frontages, remove cluttering signage and play their part in contributing towards a welcoming Plumstead High Street.

Love Plumstead, Hate Litter

The 'Love Plumstead, Hate Litter' campaign was also launched in May to discourage littering and build a collective pride in the local community; banners running along the high street encourage residents to report littering and fly-tipping directly to the Royal Borough.

#PositivePlumstead

To share your positive thoughts on Plumstead, tweet at @Royal_Greenwich using the hash tag #PositivePlumstead.

Report a fly-tipper

You can report a suspected fly-tipper online.

'Create a cleaner and tidier environment'

Councillor Jackie Smith, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Environment, said "We've heard residents' concerns loud and clear and are running a #PositivePlumstead campaign to create a cleaner and tidier environment for us all. This day of successful enforcement action shows that we are committed to taking tough measures where we can to eradicate environmental crime."

'We will create a #PositivePlumstead'

Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich Councillor Denise Hyland, who joined the Plumstead Taskforce fly-tipping team during the operation, said: "We recognise that people want improvements in Plumstead to the public realm - cleaner streets and tidier shop frontages. I want residents to know that we share that vision and are prepared to do whatever it takes to deliver it.

"The feedback from residents on the day was that this action was very welcome and that it shows that we are taking their concerns seriously. Through working together, we will create a #PositivePlumstead of which residents and the whole borough can be proud."

'They will be caught'

Borough Commander Simon Dobinson added "The Metropolitan Police stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the Royal Borough of Greenwich in cracking down on environmental crime. I hope this day of enforcement action sends a clear message to those individuals committing this sort of crime that they will be caught and we will take the strongest action against them."