Original article on Daily Post online - available here: https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/kingdom-security-conwy-llandudno-fine-14647533
We spent an afternoon walking around Llandudno talking to people about the controversial environmental enforcement firm
tourism chief is urging Conwy Council to cancel its contract with Kingdom Security when it is reviewed in the near future.
The firm’s current deal with the authority runs until August 2018 and the council has already said it will vote on whether to extend it “in due course”.
The environmental enforcement agency can issue £75 penalties on behalf of the council for offences such as littering and dog fouling which are committed in the county.
But Berin Jones, of the Llandudno Hospitality Association, believes the way that Kingdom go about their business may be doing more harm in the county than good .
He said: “We would be very, very disappointed if they were to renew the contract with Kingdom.
(Image: Tom Malloy)
“We want to keep the town clean and tidy, it’s one of the key attractions for our visitors.
“But the manner in which Kingdom operate is something that we think is totally wrong and contrary to trying to attract more people to the town, because it makes people very intimidated and not want to come back to the town.
“Evidence from other local councils, such as Gwynedd, demonstrates that Kingdom do not operate in the right manner for tourism destinations to achieve the result that we all want to have.”
Mr Jones’ sentiments were also echoed by Welsh Assembly Member for Aberconwy Janet Finch-Saunders.
She said: “The environment that enforcement action undertaken on behalf of Conwy County Borough Council has fostered has been purely negative, with visitors and residents alike affected.
“We must work to promote the positive reputation of the area, to further encourage our fantastic tourism industry – and Councillors must take this into serious account when making their decision on this matter.
But it’s not just tourists who are facing the wrath of Kingdom.
Chippy worker Chance Dover, 19, from Conwy has been fined an astonishing five times by the firm.
Chance Dover (Image: Tom Malloy)
“I dropped a cigarette butt in the woods, near Porth-y-Felin school, because nobody can see you there,” he said.
“But they popped out and followed my all the way to the end of Conwy, which is a good 10-15 minutes walk.
“They waited for me to go into the chemists’ and then when I came out they got me.”
Despite the number of penalties to his name, Chance insists he is against littering but believes Kingdom don’t always do their job with the best intentions.
He added: “They’re very persistent, for every fine they get, they get money for prosecuting the person, so I think that’s why they’re so on it.
“If they give you the opportunity to pick it up or something like that, it would be fine, but instead it’s like, ‘here you go, £75 fine’.”
However, Anna Boswell, 25, works at Casa Mia Cafe in Conwy town centre and she agrees with the enforcement deal.
Anna Boswell (Image: Tom Malloy)
She said: “As an Environmental Conservation student, I think it’s a brilliant idea that should have been enforced a long time ago, because people need to be educated about what they’re doing to the planet.
“It’s a massive problem. I’ve noticed since moving to Wales that it’s actually a lot worse in the towns than it is down there (in Cornwall). I have seen it and it bothers me.”
Last year, the Daily Post revealed that between August 2016 and August 2017, more than 5,300 fines were issued in Conwy, with Kingdom Enforcement taking almost £240,000 in revenue, 60 per cent of the takings, with the rest going to Conwy Council.
A spokesman for Conwy Council said: “Dog fouling and littering are amongst the top five complaints made to the Council by residents.
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Undercover footage of Kingdom in action
“We have a robust enforcement system in place, with Enforcement Officers patrolling areas known to be problem hotspots and issuing fixed penalty fines to anyone caught breaking the law.
“Kingdom enforce the relevant legislation across the county borough on behalf of the Council. The current contract for environmental enforcement has an option to extend for a further year from August 2018, and a decision will be made by Members on this in due course.”