Background and Policy Objectives
3.Since the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 was made in England and Wales, the Department has received ongoing enquiries from MLAs, MPs, district councils, Tidy Northern Ireland, the NI Local Government Association, the Chief Environmental Health Officers’ Group and other interests calling for the introduction of similar legislation in Northern Ireland. Up until now, however, the Department has been unable to respond positively to these representations because its limited policy and legislation development resources have had to be allocated to other higher priorities.
4.The objective of the Act is to improve the quality of the local environment by giving district councils additional powers to deal with litter, nuisance alleys, graffiti and fly posting, abandoned and nuisance vehicles, dogs, noise and statutory nuisance.
5.The Act will be supported with a significant and comprehensive programme of subordinate legislation and guidance all of which will be subject to further detailed consultation exercises.
6.Part 1 of the Act makes provision for Gating Orders, Part 2 makes provision for Vehicles, Part 3 makes provision for Litter, Part 4 makes provision for Graffiti and Other Defacement; Part 5 makes provision for Dogs, Part 6 makes provision for Noise, Part 7 makes provision for Statutory Nuisances and Part 8 contains miscellaneous and supplementary provisions.