Cllr Paul Osborn, Leader of the Council:
Everyone wants a cleaner, safer borough, and enforcement has an important role to play in helping us restore pride in Harrow.
In June we took the decision to suspend all Kingdom Local Authority Support activity in Harrow. We have since agreed a number of changes to our contract to ensure more robust accountability and that the standards we expect are upheld.
A key condition of these changes is that officers must use body-worn cameras during all enforcement activity. Footage will be regularly audited, and no Fixed Penalty Notice will be valid without supporting camera evidence. Any FPN without footage during an audit or following a complaint will be cancelled. We are also enhancing our contract monitoring and have a strengthened complaints process so concerns can be escalated and acted on quickly.
From 1 September a brand-new team recruited by Kingdom specifically for Harrow will carry out enforcement activity. They have been trained to meet the standards we expect when working with residents, businesses and visitors.
With autumn and winter bringing some of our busiest periods, including Bonfire Night and the festive season, it is vital that we have more enforcement officers on the ground, working alongside our in-house team, to stop offences and support our communities.
Like many other local authorities, Kingdom supports the enforcement of our Public Spaces Protection Order, which remains one of the most effective ways to target anti-social behaviour and environmental offences.
We will hold Kingdom to account for any failure to meet those standards. Abuse, intimidation or bullying will not be tolerated, and any concerns should be reported so they can be investigated and acted on quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Kingdom Environment Enforcement Service
Why is Kingdom Local Authority Support returning to Harrow?
Kingdom provides additional enforcement officers who will work alongside the Council’s in-house enforcement team. With autumn and winter bringing some of our busiest periods it’s important that we have more enforcement officers on the ground.
They will help increase visibility, deter offences, support local communities and improve the environment for residents, visitors and businesses.
Since the suspension in June, we have agreed several conditions to our contract to ensure more robust accountability and that the standards we expect are upheld.
When will they return?
They will be reinstated from 1 September to tackle anti-social behaviour and environmental offences, particularly during the busier autumn and winter months.
This will be a brand-new team who have been recruited by Kingdom specifically for Harrow working alongside the council’s in-house enforcement team to restore pride in Harrow and support the council’s wider work for a cleaner and safer borough.
What happened in June?
In June, the Council suspended all Kingdom enforcement activity in Harrow following concerns about standards and conduct. Before agreeing to restart the service, the Council required several important changes to the contract, including stronger monitoring, increased accountability and enhanced safeguards.
What has changed?
Several significant improvements have been introduced to strengthen standards, transparency and accountability.
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A new enforcement team recruited by Kingdom specifically for Harrow.
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Body-worn cameras must be switched on for all interactions with members of the public
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Any fixed penalty notice served without matching body-worn camera footage may be cancelled.
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Auditing of body-worn camera footage will increase significantly, with Kingdom management auditing at least 40% of footage for the next six months and the Council also increasing its own audits.
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Body-worn cameras will have pre-record enabled as standard, capturing the 30 seconds before the button is pressed.
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There will be stronger contract management and performance monitoring, including weekly oversight meetings for the next six months.
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The complaints process has been strengthened so concerns can be investigated quickly and escalated where appropriate.
Will enforcement officers be wearing body-worn cameras?
Yes. All enforcement officers must wear and use body-worn cameras when carrying out enforcement duties. This provides transparency, protects both the public and officers, and helps ensure all interactions meet the standards expected by the Council.
What happens if an officer does not use their body-worn camera?
Any fixed penalty notice issued without supporting body-worn camera evidence will be cancelled. As part of audits and complaint investigations, officers must be able to provide footage showing that the enforcement action was carried out appropriately.
Why is camera footage important?
Camera footage provides an objective record of the interaction between an officer and a member of the public. It helps ensure fairness and transparency, verify that enforcement action was justified, investigate complaints effectively and hold officers accountable for their conduct.
How will mobilisation be managed?
Mobilisation will involve a staggered start. Kingdom is recruiting a completely new team specifically for Harrow. This is intended to ensure that the right people are appointed, properly trained and fully briefed on the high standards expected when working in the borough before they begin operational duties.
How many other local authorities use Kingdom?
Kingdom support over 35 local authorities across the UK. They are the UKs leading provider of environmental and community-focussed enforcement services.
What enforcement powers are being used?
Like many local authorities, Kingdom officers support the Council in enforcing laws and regulations relating to environmental offences and anti-social behaviour, including the Council’s Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).
Under the PSPO, they’ll enforce on issues such as littering, fly-tipping, dog fouling, illegal street trading, and other environmental crimes.
What is a Public Spaces Protection Order?
A Public Spaces Protection Order is a legal power used by councils to address behaviours that have a negative impact on local communities and public spaces. In Harrow, it is an important tool that helps tackle anti-social behaviour and environmental offences that affect residents, visitors and businesses.
Are Kingdom officers employed by Harrow Council?
No. Kingdom officers are employed by Kingdom Local Authority Support. However, they operate on behalf of the London Borough of Harrow and are required to comply with the code of conduct, standards and requirements set by the Council.
What training and background checks do enforcement officers have?
All enforcement officers undergo an accredited training course to ensure they are fully equipped to handle their duties. Additionally, all officers are DBS vetted to ensure they meet the necessary background check requirements.
Were alternative options considered?
Yes. Alternative options were considered before reaching this decision. However, since returning to Kingdom in July 2024, the Council has been satisfied with the service provided and Kingdom has been able to demonstrate, overall, fair and proportionate enforcement.
How will the Council make sure standards are maintained?
The Council has strengthened its contract management arrangements and will regularly review performance, complaints and body-worn camera footage. Any concerns raised will be investigated and appropriate action taken where necessary.
Could we provide this service in house?
The Council’s in-house enforcement team is small and focused on more complex environmental crime work, including targeted interventions, intelligence-led activity and problem-solving with residents, businesses and partners.
The street-based enforcement activity delivered by Kingdom requires a different operational model, with officers deployed visibly and consistently across the borough.
The preferred approach is to keep the Council’s in-house team focused on complex casework and oversight, while using Kingdom to provide the borough-wide street enforcement presence.
Can residents appeal or dispute a fixed penalty notice?
If a resident believes that an FPN has been issued incorrectly, they should contact the issuing officer or use Kingdom’s online payment and enquiry portal:
How can residents report concerns with officer conduct?
The Council has created a dedicated form for residents to report concerns about officer conduct, so that those matters can be recorded, reviewed and escalated where appropriate.
Residents who have concerns about officer conduct can raise these through the Council’s usual complaints and compliments webpage and select “Enforcement officer conduct” as the area they are complaining about.
https://www.harrow.gov.uk/complaints
Where a concern relates to the conduct of a Kingdom officer, the Council will ensure that the matter is reviewed appropriately, including reviewing available body-worn camera footage. Clear and obvious errors will be escalated to senior officers within both Kingdom and the Council so that fair, proportionate and common-sense decisions can be made based on the circumstances of each case.