KINGDOM'S rules are about to get even harsher for people in Wirral after an increase in the penalty for littering was announced, as well as a crackdown on motorists and smokers.

The environmental firm, which recently renewed its contract with the council, has had its scope extended in Wirral, and will now cover more offences including those covered under the 2007 smoking legislation – such as smoking in work places and in work vehicles.

Officers will also be asked to enforce the law that makes it illegal for anyone to smoke in a vehicle carrying someone under the age of 18.

As well as that, the new fixed penalty notice for littering will rise by £20 – from £80 to £100.

A statement on the council’s website this week said the firm had already issued tens of thousands of fixed penalty notices to people littering in Wirral.

It added: “The contract does not cost the council anything to operate and, indeed, there is the potential for any surplus income made from fixed penalty notices to be reinvested in environmental projects in the borough.

“The robust enforcement regime acts as a deterrent to those who may be tempted to drop litter and as such will help the council reduce the amount of money it has to spend on street cleansing, which currently stands at around £3.8m per year, and will allow that money to be redirected to other essential services.”

The new rules will see Kingdom able to hand out fines for those caught smoking in a vehicle driven for work.

Although not a litter-related offence, the firm will also now be responsible for enforcing legislation enacted in 2015 making it illegal for anyone to smoke in a vehicle carrying someone under the age of 18.

In July, Kingdom was issued a stern warning by Wirral councillors, being told that “much closer attention” will now be paid to its operations after the decision to award the litter squad a new contract of up to six years was called in.

But the decision was upheld, and this week, the council said Kingdom has “made a significant difference to tackling” littering and dog fouling.

The statement added: “Having environmental enforcement services delivered by a specialist contractor means the council receives a level of service it would not be able to deliver cost-effectively in-house.”