Kingdom protest to be held in Wrexham – Council point to ongoing process on enforcement review

A protest against Kingdom enforcement is planned for this weekend, with a local councillor demanding an early end to Wrexham Council’s contract with the firm.

Councillor Marc Jones, leader of the Plaid Cymru group on Wrexham Council, said: “We have been told that Kingdom has a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to any littering. It’s time this council took a zero-tolerance approach to a company that has broken its contract with the authority and has failed to ensure that our streets are any cleaner.

“This is why Wrexham Against Kingdom has organised a peaceful protest against the policy to take place at Queens Square in Wrexham town centre this Saturday at mid-day. We’re calling on everybody who wants to see the back of this firm, which has not dealt with serious problems of dog fouling and flytipping, to join the protest. Everybody in Wrexham should want to replace it with a strategy that will see cleaner streets and a new approach to litter enforcement.”

Plaid Cymru councillors  tabled a formal motion calling on Wrexham Council to suspend the use of the controversial Kingdom litter enforcement in the county borough, however it was not heard in public, if at all.

Plaid Cymru councillors have argued that the council could either issue a 90-day notice without reason or a 28-day termination notice due to the breach of contract.

Cllr Jones added: “Either way, it’s time the Executive Board listened to the thousands of people who have been criminalised by this ineffective policing strategy. The policy has alienated a great many people, is opposed by many town-centre businesses and many councillors feel that it has done nothing to improve their communities. The only people who have benefitted from this are the shareholders of Kingdom, who have cashed in on Wrexham even after every other council in the North turned against them.”

We asked Wrexham Council it was accurate that Kingdom ‘has broken its contract with the authority’.

We also asked if any group on Wrexham Council had put forward an alternative strategy for such enforcement, and if any alternative service provision plans were being created for if Kingdom, or Wrexham, ended the contract.

Councillor David A Bithell, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We are aware of the very real concerns raised by elected members and the people of Wrexham and in response we have set up a Task and Finish group to recommend a way forward. The Group has met and I would like to thank them for their time on this matter so far.

“The Group is made up of all political parties and we are awaiting their outcomes and findings and everyone should be assured we will consider their recommendations.

“I would also ask the leader of Plaid Cymru what their party’s ‘Plan B’ is for this service, given their determination to cease the enforcement contract.”

The protest by Wrexham Against Kingdom will be led by the Cambria Band, and takes place in Queens Square on Saturday lunchtime.