SENIOR councillors got their hands dirty when they joined their new environment service officers on a clean-up patrol.

Littering, fly-tipping, and graffiti were just some of the problems facing district council leader Di Collins, chairman Penny Smith and environment portfolio holder Mary Sartin on their trip around the district.

They joined new neighbourhood response officers and an additional Environmental Response Vehicle which have been deployed by Epping Forest District Council to deal with small, visible problems of rubbish and waste dumping.

The council has said the money for them, £250,000, has been raised through efficiency savings.

Environmental officers have powers enabling them to require people to give them their names, and they can also issue fixed penalty notices and carry out investigations.

Council leader Di Collins said: We have a beautiful district and the vast majority of our residents want us to keep it that way.”

“Unfortunately, there is a small minority that feels differently and it is a constant struggle to clean up after the fly-tippers, vandals and graffiti vandals. The introduction of our new environment and neighbourhood officers along with the Environmental Response Unit will make a major contribution to tackling such problems.”