POLICE powers for some council staff have yet to be used almost six months after the scheme was first rubber-stamped, it has emerged.

There was a storm of criticism back in August when the district council announced nine of its environment and neighbourhoods security officers had been given approval to issue on-the-spot fines of up to £200 for various anti-social behaviour offences.

Also under the terms of the controversial scheme, anyone who refused to give their name to an officer would be judged as committing a criminal offence, while anyone who failed to cooperate faced prosecution, up to a month in jail and a final fine of £1,000.

The measures were introduced in an attempt to tackle incidents like dogs fouling, fly posting and graffiti, as well as enforcing alcohol exclusion zones.

But now Epping Forest District Council has admitted to the Guardian that the amounts of various fines for different offences are still yet to be set, and that its officers have not used any of the powers.

A spokesman said: "The environment and neighbourhoods officers have not started issuing Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) yet.

"An FPN is only a method of dealing with a criminal offence and does not generate any new offences.

"Although the officers have the power to issue FPN, the actual use of FPN will be subject to a report and subject to approval by council members in due course.

"Some of the levels of fine can be set locally and this needs to be established."

The council has not given any indication of when its officers will start using the new powers.

Critics of the scheme have said it puts too much power in the hands of the council and is part of a creeping reduction of police involvement in "minor" crimes and offences.