Ms Lai says the bin is always overflowing

A COMPANY is targeting fly-tippers and litter louts for the council with a team of officers who dish out doorstep fines while wearing body cameras.

Kingdom Services Ltd, based in Merseyside, is working in Camden as part of a trial due to end in February.

A woman was given a £400 fixed penalty notice after she was challenged at her door about two cardboard boxes she had left propped up by her nearest green recycling bin on the morning of the collection.

After the New Journal raised questions about the fine with the council, it was cancelled.

But Amy Lai, who lives in Queen’s Crescent, said: “They came to my door saying they had body cameras on and asking if I put the cardboard outside. I said yes that was me, I was honest, as I hadn’t done anything wrong. I was just shocked when they printed out the fixed penalty notice.

“I am the kind of person who washes out the recycling before I walk it to the bin. So it was a bit of a slap in the face. I didn’t think it was in the spirit for what they are supposed to be doing: stopping people dumping rubbish.”

A Camden Council spokesperson said the fine “was issued incorrectly and Kingdom has written to the resident to confirm that the fine has been cancelled”, adding: “We continue to work with Kingdom to ensure that their staff are fully aware of all our local services when enforcing fines in the borough.”

Kingdom said “high levels of litter encourages a diminishing impact the quality of life in your community and led to other criminality”, adding: “Kingdom local authority support is a proven tool for local authorities to reverse this trend, turning a declining attitude towards an area into a more positive one for the community.”