CONTROVERSIAL enforcement operators which have been accused of raking in "huge sums" from residents will go up before the beak next month.

Kingdom Security, which issues fixed penalties for offences such as dog fouling and littering, will attend Denbighshire Performance Scrutiny Committee next month to discuss their performance.

Kingdom has come under fire for its alleged heavy-handed approach. In 30 months, up to March 2018, they had issued 13,149 fines. More than 10,000 of those fines were for cigarette litter, primarily in Rhyl and Prestatyn. Only 233 were issued for dog fouling in the last two years. In doing that, the firm has taken just short of £1million in fines.

Yesterday, during Denbighshire's County Council meeting, members discussed cllr Paul Penlington's notice of motion which asked cabinet not to renew Kingdom Security's contract in November 2018.

The motion stated: "This council requests cabinet not to renew Kingdom Security’s contract in November 2018 and calls on the cabinet to instruct Denbighshire officers to bring a paper to the September meeting of the Council outlining options for delivering a similar service through their own staffing and resources, focused more on public support and education rather than on sanctions."

Speaking at the meeting yesterday, cllr Penlington said: "Kingdom were taken on in 2012 to address dog fouling and as part of Denbighshire's anti-fouling strategy. A 12-month temp agreement was signed, they were called X4 then.

" I actually took X4 officers around and showed them the hotspots to enable them to address the dog issues. I am sure that a lot of councillors did the same in their areas. Six years later and they have consistently failed to deal with this issue and spent most of their time chasing profits."

Cllr Gwyneth Kensler, of Denbigh Central, said: "A few weeks ago I saw on the front page of a local newspaper, which isn't in Denbighshire, and it was showing a tourism chief calling on the council to look again at using Kingdom. So obviously there is a problem, not only in our county.

"This is where we can work together for the whole of North Wales potentially and resolve what is obviously a problem."

Cllr Huw Hilditch-Roberts, Ruthin ward, who is a cabinet member, asked for an amendment to the motion - that scrutiny had a report for cabinet on the provision and workings of Kingdom which cabinet can make a decision on in November."

He added: "As a cabinet member, I can't sign up to something without evidence."

Members voted in favour of an amended motion that means a report will be prepared by a scrutiny committee before a final decision is made in November - 38 were in favour, there was one abstention and three against.

A spokesperson from Denbighshire County Council said: "After a discussion they changed the notice of motion.

"The resolution for scrutiny to provide a report to cabinet with recommendations as to the future provision of the service."