Blaby District Council to Introduce Higher Fines for Environmental Offenses

A new council fines policy could impose a £200 penalty for dropping a cigarette butt. Blaby District Council is set to revise its fines for fly-tipping, littering, graffiti, and fly-posting, with the changes taking effect from 1 April 2025. The authority’s cabinet executive approved the increase on Monday, enabled by recent amendments in the law. Councillor Les Phillimore, portfolio holder for housing, community, and environmental services, indicated that the district is implementing tougher fines to deter offenders, as taxpayers currently cover the costs of clean-up. Fines for littering will also increase from £150 to a maximum of £400, depending on the quantity of items discarded. Fixed penalty notices for individual items, such as cigarette butts, will be set at £200. Previously, individuals caught fly-tipping faced a £400 fine. Under the new policy, however, offenders could incur an £800 fine for dumping business waste or £500 for household waste. These fixed penalty notices would be reduced to £600 and £300, respectively, if paid promptly. Penalties for graffiti and fly-posting are slated to double, rising from £150 to £300 each, with an early payment option reducing the fine to £200. Phillimore stated: “There is no excuse for environmental crimes,” “Every time you drop a piece of litter, dump items or graffiti on a wall, you’re leaving the cost of the clean-up to taxpayers.“With an increase in the maximum fines we can levy, we’re introducing these tougher fines to also help recoup some of the money it costs us to investigate and clean up after environmental criminals.”We’re committed to educating people on correctly disposing of waste and keeping our streets clean, but when we need to, we issue fixed penalty notices to deter offenders too.” Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.