Our Greenspace Action Team are passionate about keeping our district looking tip‑top.
From removing graffiti and clearing Public Rights of Way, to tackling fly‑tipping and investigating the culprits – no two days are the same for our rangers.
Resident reports and evidence play a huge part in getting issues resolved — you know your area best, and our team is always keen to hear from you.
From abandoned vehicles to overgrown vegetation, report it on the council website: kirklees.gov.uk/report-it
Alongside this community‑led approach, the team responds to a wide range of environmental concerns, from dangerous dogs and abandoned vehicles to waste on private land and overgrown vegetation. Their priority is public safety and improving quality of life for residents.
Between June and December 2025, the team handled 2,702 environmental reports. Each one represents a case assessed and managed by officers, though not all required formal enforcement action. Many were resolved through early engagement, education, or on‑site checks.
The team also carried out 2,720 practical interventions, including vegetation cutbacks, clearing public rights of way, and removing fly‑tipping. These hands‑on tasks help keep neighbourhoods accessible, safe and welcoming. In total, that’s over 5,400 reports in just seven months — a testament to the scale and variety of their work.
Councillor Amanda Pinnock, Cabinet Member for Communities and Environment, said:
“It really is amazing to see the range of work our Greenspace Action Team get up to throughout the year. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for their diligence and commitment to our communities — it isn’t easy work and it often goes unseen.
“Keeping our neighbourhoods clean and safe is a shared effort. The fewer avoidable issues the team has to respond to, like fly‑tipping, littering or repeated enforcement cases, the more time they can spend improving public rights of way and maintaining the places we all enjoy.
“When people dispose of waste responsibly, pick up after their dogs, and report issues when they spot them, it makes a huge difference.”
To bring this to life, here are just a few examples of what the team has been dealing with.
Bottle bank misuse
Rangers cleared a large amount of fly‑tipping around the bottle banks in Paddock. Evidence found in the waste led to several fines being issued.
Litterers fined
Twenty‑five people received on‑the‑spot fines after being caught dropping litter. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, littering is a criminal offence — so if there’s no bin nearby, take it home or risk a fine of up to £150.
A foul neighbour
A Kirklees resident was prosecuted after repeatedly failing to pick up after their dog, which had been fouling a neighbour’s garden. They were ordered to pay a total of £1,524 under the Anti‑Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
Facebook fly‑tipper
A prolific fly‑tipper was prosecuted in July after pleading guilty to 15 offences. Between April 2024 and March 2025, their preferred dumping spots included Kilner Bank and Longwood Edge.
Van seized after multiple fly‑tips
Working with West Yorkshire Police, the team seized a Ford Transit van linked to three fly‑tipping incidents in just ten days. Evidence suggested the vehicle was connected to an individual advertising waste‑removal services on Facebook. The case remains under investigation.
Teamwork in Fartown
A huge pile of fly‑tipping in Fartown required all hands-on-deck, including help from a local tractor driver and colleagues from Highways.
Back in stile
After reports of a blocked stile in Dewsbury, a Ward Ranger cleared the overgrown vegetation and restored access to the Public Right of Way.
People power in Hepworth
It took plenty of teamwork to clear an overgrown Public Right of Way in Hepworth.
No one wants prickled ankles
Nettles were no match for the team as they tackled another overgrown path, ensuring residents could walk without fear of stings.
Thank you to our Greenspace Action Team
The work of the Greenspace Action Team never really stops, and these examples show just how much they do behind the scenes to keep our district clean, safe and welcoming. With residents, partners and rangers all pulling in the same direction, we can continue to protect and improve the places we share.