The Government’s recent decision to increase the maximum fines for fly-tipping falls short of what is required to crackdown on offenders, council chiefs have said.
The Government announced this week that those caught fly-tipping could receive a fixed penalty notice (FPN) of as much as £1,000. This is more than double the £400 limit that councils could previously fine residents.
However, the Local Government Association (LGA) says the new powers ‘do not go far enough’.
Cllr Darren Rodwell, environment spokesperson for the LGA, said the cap on fines should be ‘removed altogether’.
He continued: ‘We want to work with Government on reviewing guidance to the courts to ensure the worst offenders face tougher fines, and to ensure councils have the funding needed to investigate and prosecute fly-tippers.
‘Councils want courts to look at fly-tipping as an offence first, rather than at the individual and their ability to pay, as well as more use of suspended sentences, or custodial sentences for anyone convicted of a second fly-tipping offence.
‘But paramount to all of this is the fact that councils need a stable financial environment so that they can afford to employ officers to develop litter strategies and put the best local actions in place.’
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