Wrexham Council could be set to end its relationship with a controversial litter enforcement firm, it has been revealed.

It comes after a leading councillor revealed the authority had set up a cross-party group to review its contract with Kingdom, a private company currently tasked with handing out fines in the county, following 'very real concerns' about its tactics.

Wrexham is the last council in north Wales to use the firm to issue £75 fines for littering and dog fouling after it gave notice to cancel its contract with Flintshire, Denbighshire and Conwy last week.

A public protest has been arranged for September calling for an end to the arrangement, however Councillor David A Bithell, lead member for environment and transport, has now confirmed talks are being held with other authorities about setting up a regional enforcement service.

Cllr Bithell said: “We are aware of the very real concerns raised by elected members and the people of Wrexham and in response we have set up a task and finish group to recommend a way forward. The group has met and I would like to thank them for their time on this matter so far.

“The group is made up of all political parties and we are awaiting their outcomes and findings and everyone should be assured we will consider their recommendations.

“We have also been in discussion with other authorities about the potential of working in partnership to deliver a north Wales enforcement service.”

The move towards a regional service was first revealed by Flintshire Council leader Aaron Shotton during a meeting in which the neighbouring authority chose to cut its ties with Kingdom.

A Plaid Cymru motion to scrap Kingdom's contract in Wrexham was turned down by executive board members earlier this month despite concerns about the number of vulnerable people issued with fixed penalty notices.

It came as new figures released under the Freedom of Information Act showed that 8,173 fines were paid between April 2016, when the company started operating in the area, and May of this year.

Of those 435 were appealed or representations made, including 130 on the grounds that they were issued to a vulnerable person, while 2,090 people were sent to court for failing to pay.