(Don’t) Feed the Birds

You might have thought that piles of dumped mattresses are top of the mayor’s hit list. Or maybe, abandoned electrical goods, fridges, freezers etc. Or you might have considered the occasional pile of builder’s rubble that appears at the end of the street to be an issue that the mayor needs to get sorted. Or just maybe, you are offended by the piles of silver vape canisters that litter the roadside.

Alas, if these are your priorities, they do not accord with the priorities of the mayor. Both the Mirror and My London have reported that Newham’s newest target for littering are pensioners. It appears that pensioners have been feeding the birds in Star Park. Feeding the birds is now considered to be littering. This attracts an instant fine, of £150 (with a £50 discount if paid promptly).

Local councillor, Areeq Chowdhury, raised this at council last Monday and asked whether fines for the past 12 months could be commuted.  No assurances on that one.

He also enquired as to the reason for the policy of fining people who are feeding the birds. Apparently, birds cause “many and varied issues, including severe health problems for local residents”, the council responded after the meeting. Moreover, and just to make sure we have got the message, birds cause a “nuisance” which “is contrary to the law, as it is an offence to drop controlled waste on the public highway, park or open space to feed birds."

So, if you take bits of bread to the pond to feed the ducks with your children, watch out! That bread in your hands is a piece of controlled waste! 

Newham enforcement officers are watching you. Them come under the auspices of Cllr Amar Virdee.

Cllr Virdee was unable to say how many incidents of “severe health problems” or indeed what the “varied issues” were and how many have been reported because of people feeding birds. That shouldn’t be too difficult to find out, but we are not holding our collective breaths.

Cllr Chowdhury also questioned whether enforcement officers are paid on commission. This was something else that Cllr Virdee did not know. He will find out. 

Readers may recall that Open Newham was a little sceptical about Newham’s decision to bring in private sector enforcement for littering. It seems entirely plausible that some form of bonus by results scheme is operative as this is an entirely self-funding contract. The contractors are paid by the fines that they raise.

This was what we said when the scheme was introduced. 

We are inclined to think that fines for feeding the birds is not only excessive, but that it constitutes a “serious abuse”. Time for Newham to think again?

And, well done Cllr Chowdhury.