Neath Port Talbot Council plans to spend £370,000 on a team of 11 staff responsible for ensuring people comply with coronavirus regulations.

In response to the pandemic, the council recruited a team of Covid-19 enforcement officers in October 2020. Their aim is to get people to comply with coronavirus regulations through “active management and deterrence”, according to a report by the council’s director of environment and regeneration Nicola Pearce.

They also pass cases onto police “where there is strong evidence an offence has been committed,” the report states.

The enforcement officers are based in the council’s environmental health and licensing teams and are responsible for advising premises on how to comply with coronavirus regulations, responding to complaints about rule breaches, and taking action against businesses and individuals who breach the rules.

The team also monitors people travelling into the local area from Amber list countries.

Council officers are proposing that a team of 11 enforcement officers are employed until March 2022.

The number of positions would be as follows:

  • One senior covid enforcement officer
  • Four covid enforcement officers based in the environmental health team
  • Two health & safety enforcement officers based in environmental health, focusing on “proactive covid and (health and safety) workplace inspections”
  • Two covid enforcement officers based in licensing
  • One operational support officer

The annual wages for the roles would be as follows:

  • Senior covid enforcement officer – £ 46,952
  • Covid enforcement officers based in the environmental health team and licensing team – £37,345
  • Health & safety enforcement officers  – £37,345
  • Operational support officer – £25,261

The Welsh Government has given the council funding for the posts for the first half of this year. Funding for the second half will be decided by the new administration in Welsh Government and the council anticipates support will be provided again.

According to Ms Pearce, it is “important” for the council to conduct “proactive inspections” of licensed premises, shops, close contact services and workplaces to check they are continuing to follow government guidelines.

She also said there is an “increase” in requests for advice and guidance regarding events and outdoor activities from the environmental health service.

During the pandemic, the council’s enforcement officers have advised 1,250 premises, visited 912 premises and issued 173 warning letters.

They have also issued 13 improvement notices to businesses for breaching coronavirus regulations. Officers from the Shared Regulatory Service, a partnership between South Wales Police and Bridgend, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan councils, have issued 331 notices to businesss for breachig Covid rules.

A spokesperson for NPT Council said: “We have found the majority of businesses in NPT wish to work with our covid enforcement officers to achieve compliance, and often only require some clarity and advice around the ever changing legislation and guidance.

“Furthermore, NPT covid enforcement officers have found the use of issuing warning letters followed up a revisit to be an effective enforcement tool in most cases, however there have been occasions where the service of an improvement notice has been necessary and proportionate. We have generally found good levels of co-operation from businesses during our site inspections.”