ATTACKS on a litter enforcement team including a BRICK being thrown through an officer’s van window have been slammed as 'unforgivable.'

A spate of incidents throughout August reportedly included one where a 'large brick or stone-type object' was hurled at a vehicle owned by Kingdom in Wirral.

The incident was discussed at a council meeting, and according to strategic commissioner for environment, Mark Smith, was among other 'fairly offensive actions' by members of the public.

Discussing statistics about the first month since the council renewed the controversial litter team’s contract, Mr Smith told the environment overview and scrutiny committee: “It is a concern that has been highlighted [that] during that first month, disappointingly, we have a had number of occasions where Kingdom officers on the ground have been the subject of some fairly offensive actions from members of the public to them.

“We have had an occasion where someone has thrown a large brick or stone-type object that has actually come down and gone through the windows of [the Kingdom] vehicle.”

He told the committee: “I know as members you absolutely recognise Kingdom officers are out there on the council’s behalf.

“As a council we say these actions are unacceptable and we take them very seriously. We support [Kingdom] all the way. We will continue to maintain that position and we are getting publicity out there to make it clear that if we have instances like that then please report it to the police.

“We take it very seriously and criminal action will be taken where we can.”

The incident was then widely condemned by councillors around the room.

Chair of the meeting, Cllr Tony Jones, called the incident 'unforgivable', adding: “They have the full support of everyone sat in this room.”

Cllr Allan Brame added that he "extended sympathy to the officer subject to the inappropriate behaviour."

The committee members’ words came after it was revealed that during August – the first month of the new contract given to Kingdom, it had issued a total of 387 fixed penalty notices.

During the meeting, councillors were critical of the fact that just two of those were for dog fouling, which Cllr Brame described as being “not good enough”, adding: “That’s not getting on top of the problem at all."

Mr Smith told him he was “absolutely right”, adding that an increase in plain clothes officers at dog fouling “hotspots” was one of the ways the team was combating that.

Kingdom runs environmental squads in Liverpool and Wirral, and its operations were being discussed for the first time since the contract renewal earlier this year.

It comes after the decision to award the contract was called in by opposition councillors over the summer.

The enforcement squad was warned at the subsequent call-in meeting the council would pay 'much closer attention' to its operations.

Cllr Paul Stuart, Cabinet member for Law and Order, said: “Violence and intimidation against council staff and those operating on our behalf will not be tolerated.

"It is simply not acceptable for anyone to be threatened with, or worse be physically harmed, in the course of their work.

“Every such incident against a council employee or someone working on our behalf will be reported to the police and we will make every effort to assist them to bring the people responsible to justice.

"We will also offer tailored support to Wirral Council employees that find themselves faced with violence or aggression from members of the public.”

Kingdom was contacted for more details about the incident.