London is blighted by a high rate of enviro-crime' which provides local and central Government with an important challenge, the Minster for London said today.

Tony McNulty MP was the keynote speaker at an Association of London Government (ALG) conference held to discuss how to tackle enviro-crime in the Capital.

Government and community leaders discussed the problems of abandoned vehicles, litter, and graffiti, fly tipping and dumping. Ways of enhancing London's environment by the design of streets and open spaces, and with increasing community involvement, were also examined.

London's waste mountain was growing rapidly and those responsible needed to be encouraged to reuse and recycle the rubbish they generated, Mr McNulty said.

London faces a disproportionate level of enviro-crime, according to the ALG, which claims 37 percent of England's abandoned vehicles were dumped in London last year, at a cost of £44.5 million.

London boroughs annually spend £7million on cleaning up graffiti.

The boroughs have to increase the 359,000 tonnes currently recycled to 1.24million tonnes by 2005 if they are to meet Government targets.

Mr McNulty said: "We all know that London is very limited for space and open areas such as parks and squares are being more and more intensively used and sometimes abused."

London needed high quality public spaces and amenities and the community had to be encouraged to get involved and take responsibility for the enviro-crime problem, he said. The fear of crime also had to be tackled, Mr McNulty said.

But specific action was being taken to address London's waste issues, Mr McNulty said.

The new CABE Space' unit, a scheme to champion urban parks and public spaces, is being launched at Coram's Fields on May 12.

The unit is intended to help local authorities to develop a broad direction in looking after their green spaces.

The Government had set aside £201 million under the Sustainable Communities Plan over the next few years to improve the quality of parks and public spaces.

The ALG is behind the 8th London Local Authorities Bill which seeks greater powers for boroughs to take action against those who conduct acts of antisocial behaviour.

Chair of ALG's Transport and Environment Committee Philip Portwood said: "The mindless actions of people who commit enviro-crime by abandoning their vehicles, dropping litter of dabbling graffiti ruin the quality of life for every member of the community."

April 29, 2003 18:00