Litter team expanded in Leicester city centre
A clean-up campaign to tackle graffiti and litter problems in parts of Leicester is being expanded.
Launched as a pilot scheme in October 2008, the city wardens project was introduced to improve the local environment.
In the 12 months to April 2010, wardens have issued more than 250 fixed penalty notices for offences such as littering and unlicensed leafleting.
The team will now increase from eight to 22 personnel, the city council said.
Wardens will focus on hot-spots for fly-tipping, residents leaving wheelie bins on streets and graffiti.
In a targeted campaign on fly-posting, city wardens worked with cleansing staff to remove more than 14,000 posters from street furniture.
The council said the team was also involved in more than 1,800 investigations into fly-tipping and 315 cases of nuisance parking.
City council director of environmental services Adrian Russell said: "No-one knows their streets better than the people who live there.
"The city wardens are listening to residents at ward community meetings and chatting with them on patrol.
"We're putting out a team that is getting good results and making real and lasting improvements to the local environment."