Merton Council's Cabinet has approved a two-year extension to its environmental enforcement contract with Kingdom Local Authority Services, set to run until April 2029. This decision, made at a meeting on Monday, September 21, 2026, will see the continuation of environmental enforcement services, excluding stray and abandoned dog services, which will be procured separately.
The rationale behind excluding stray and abandoned dog services is to obtain better value for money by procuring a new stray/abandoned dog service,
as this provision is a statutory responsibility for local authorities. A new procurement exercise for these animal welfare services is scheduled to begin in April 2027.
Merton Council aims to maintain a visible deterrent against environmental offences such as littering and fly-tipping across the borough. The current contract, which commenced in April 2023, has been instrumental in this effort. Cabinet members noted a decline in fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued by Kingdom, attributing this to improved local environmental quality and higher levels of compliance. Independent inspection data has demonstrated a marked improvement in street cleanliness for both littering and detritus, with street inspection standards consistently exceeding targets in the 2025/26 period, a contrast to the previous year.
The contract operates on a concessionary basis, meaning Kingdom funds operational activities through revenue from paid FPNs, with Merton Council receiving a percentage of this income. For the financial year 2025/26, the split is 68.87% to Kingdom and 31.13% to Merton Council. Fines for fly-tipping increased from £400 to £1,000 in May 2025, and litter FPNs rose from £150 to £250, with the council receiving 31.13% of all paid FPNs issued. However, projected total revenue figures were not provided.
Stuart Neaverson, Cabinet Member for Cleaner Streets, Environment and Transport, emphasised the contract's role in supporting the council's strategic priority of Nurturing civic pride.
He highlighted that the visible presence of uniformed officers serves as a deterrent and helps maintain high environmental standards in Merton's town centres and streets.
The extension will also allow the council to continue using Kingdom's web-based system for issuing FPNs and penalty charge notices (PCNs). While there is a cost associated with this system, it is considered minimal and significantly more cost-effective than procuring a new system.
The contract includes social value commitments. Two Waste Watch
cameras have been deployed to fly-tipping hotspots at no additional cost to the council. Furthermore, the partnership with local job centres has facilitated the employment of at least five enforcement officers who were previously out of work, with plans to continue targeted work to employ Merton residents. While specific targets for employing Merton residents beyond these five officers are not detailed, the continuation of these initiatives is anticipated.
Authority has been delegated to the Executive Director of Environment, Civic Pride and Climate, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Cleaner Streets, Environment and Transport, to award any subsequent variations to this extended contract. Further details on the council's decisions can be found in the Decisions Monday 21 Sep 2026 19.15 Cabinet document.