Gwynedd Council is the latest local authority to hire the services of a controversial security firm.

Kingdom Services, which have been the subject of recent protests in Llandudno and Conwy, will begin a 12-month trial with Gwynedd Council, commencing in January, to take action against those who litter and refuse to pick up after their pets.

Gwynedd joins Conwy County Borough Council, Wrexham and Denbighshire to have hired the services of Kingdom.

Consultation was carried out with Wrexham and Denbighshire before taking the decision to employ the services of the company on a pilot scheme.

Officers from the external company will join street enforcement teamss already in place within the county in a bid to crack down on what the council said was only a small problem.

The decision to employ the private enforcement company comes on the recommendations of a scrutiny report after residents, businesses and visitors called for tougher action against offenders in a recent survey and consultation sessions.

A Gwynedd spokesperson said: “Kingdom will bring in additional officers to boost the Council’s existing efforts to tackle littering and dog control offences.

“The pilot scheme will be self-financing, with the costs of enforcement being met from the income from fixed penalty notices. Similar arrangements are already in place across a number of north Wales councils.”

Gwynedd’s current street enforcement officer team achieved short of the intended income target received from fines of £18,500.

Over the past three years the accounts reveal the current enforcement officer team were only able to achieve £5,300 a year.

The appointment comes after £64,500 of funding was withdrawn from the county’s street enforcement services as part of the Gwynedd Challenge service cost cutting exercise.

As part of Gwynedd’s agreement with Kingdom, all workers employed by Kingdom must also be able to communicate in Welsh.