(1)Subject to section 30 (designation procedure for enforcement action zones) of this Act, a borough council (or two or more borough councils acting jointly) may designate an area of land in which, in their opinion, it is expedient that enhanced environmental crime enforcement action should be enabled.
(2)An area designated under this section shall be known as an enforcement action zone and in this section and the said section 30 the council or councils designating the zone shall be known as the “designating authority”.
(3)The area designated under this section may comprise two or more parcels of land which—
(a)need not be contiguous; and
(b)need not be in the area of the same borough council.
(4)In deciding whether to designate any area of land, the designating authority shall have regard to such matters as they think fit.
(5)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (4) above, among the matters to which the designating authority may have regard in deciding whether to include a particular area of land in an order under this section, are—
(a)the level of environmental crime in the area;
(b)the nature of use of land in the area;
(c)the location of schools, playgrounds, recreation grounds, parks and other open spaces in the area;
(d)the living conditions of those who live in the area and the social conditions and general environment of the area.
(6)A designating authority may by resolution bring to an end a designation under this section.
(7)In this section, “environmental crime” means criminal activity which is related to the degradation of the amenity of an area.