Fixed Penalty Notice fines for fly-tipping increased to a £1,000 maximum
Fixed Penalty Notice fines for fly-tipping in St Albans District are to be increased to a maximum of £1,000.
St Albans City and District Council set the current Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) fine for the offence at £300 five years ago.
New Government rules have now enabled all local authorities to increase the maximum amount to £1,000.
Councillors agreed to the change at a meeting of the Public Realm Committee on Thursday 25 January.
Individuals or businesses who commit a ‘duty of care’ offence – allowing rubbish to be taken away by someone without a waste carrier licence – now face a maximum £600 FPN.
Since January last year, the Council has issued 67 FPNs for fly-tipping and waste related offences.
Under the new system, which will come into force on Friday 1 March, there will be a sliding scale of fines for both fly-tipping and duty of care offences.
This will be based on the size of the fly-tip, whether it was for commercial gain and the potential harm to people, wildlife and the environment.
The minimum FPN for a fly-tip will be £400 with £1,000 imposed for the more serious offences while a duty of care fine will fall in the range of £400 to £600.
A £100 discount will apply if the FPN is paid within 10 days and failure to pay may result in a prosecution in the criminal courts.
Repeat offenders, very serious incidents and fly-tips committed by licensed waste carriers may also be dealt with by a prosecution rather than an FPN.
Councillor Helen Campbell, the Committee’s Chair, said after the meeting:
I am pleased that the Committee has agreed to raise the FPN fine for fly-tipping and I am sure the increase will be supported by our residents.
There is no excuse for fly-tipping which is not only an eyesore but is also a serious public health risk, creating pollution and attracting rats and other vermin.
It is also costly to clear-up, adding to the financial burdens that we are faced with as a Council.
I hope these increased fines will deter people from carrying out the offence and encourage them to check that anyone carrying out a rubbish clearance has a proper waste carrier licence.
Media Contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, 01727 819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.