Neighbourhood wardens

The  Neighbourhood Warden Service (PDF, 237.3kb)  deal with environmental problems to improve local areas. They promote community involvement and social inclusion, especially among young people. Regular patrols are carried out throughout the county, dealing with issues they encounter, or are reported to them. They also help to tackle low level anti-social behaviour, where it is safe to do so.

Tackling environmental crimes

Wardens have the powers to issue fixed penalty notices for environmental crimes, where appropriate, for a range of issues:

• Litter 
• Flytipping and failing to clear waste dumped on privately owned land
• Dog fouling
• Abandoned vehicles
• Graffiti
• Flyposting
• allowing a dog to stray or enter a fenced off play areas where they are not allowed
• failing to put a dog on a lead when asked by an authorised officer
• illegal business or household waste storage, transporting, treatment and disposal
• discarding chewing gum causing environmental concern
• abandoned shopping trolleys

Stray dogs

Neighbourhood wardens will also collect stray dogs. If a dog is reported as loose and/or stray, wardens will attempt to catch it and contact the owner of the dog to collect it. Dangerous dogs are dealt with directly by the police. If a dog situation is an emergency, please contact the police on 999.

Public Space Protection Order for dog control

It is an offence to allow a dog to stray. Owners who are caught letting their dog stray, exercise, wander or roam loose without a responsible owner present will be issued with a £100 fine (Fixed Penalty Notice). See Enforcement powers for irresponsible dog owners for details.

Neighbourhood warden news in your area

Neighbourhood Warden news items are posted on our Area Action Partnerships (AAPs) Facebook pages. Keep up-to-date by 'liking' your local page:

• Bishop Auckland and Shildon Area Action Partnership on Facebook
• Chester-le-Street and District Area Action Partnership on Facebook
• Derwent Valley Partnership Area Action Partnership on Facebook
• Durham Area Action Partnership on Facebook
• East Durham Area Action Partnership on Facebook
• East Durham Rural Corridor AAP on Facebook
• Great Aycliffe and Middridge Partnership on Facebook
• Mid-Durham Area Action Partnership on Facebook
• Spennymoor Area Action Partnership on Facebook
• Stanley Area Action Partnership on Facebook
• Teesdale Area Action Partnership on Facebook
• Weardale Action Partnership on Facebook
• 3 Towns Area Action Partnership on Facebook
• 4 Together Partnership (AAP) on Facebook