Fine increase as council toughens stance on littering

North East Lincolnshire Council is increasing the amount it fines people for dropping litter.

People who drop litter will be fined £150 from 1 April 2022, an increase of £50.

Enforcement officers working on behalf of the Council issued 865 fixed penalty notices in 2021 for littering and littering from a vehicle.

A further 169 people who did not pay the fines on time were prosecuted in court where the average bill was £390.

Fines are issued as part of North East Lincolnshire Council’s contract with Doncaster Council.

Cllr Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for Safer and Stronger Communities at North East Lincolnshire Council, said:

“Local people and visitors want the beaches, parks, streets and public spaces to be safe and attractive places that they can enjoy.

“Littering makes the place look a mess, it’s harmful to wildlife and the environment, and it costs a fortune for us to clean up.

“We want everyone in North East Lincolnshire to benefit from a high-quality environment, that’s why we’re increasing the penalties for littering from £100 to £150 from 1 April 2022.”

He added:

“We spend about £1.5-million per year keeping the streets, parks and beaches clean.

“With 979 litter bins in convenient locations around the borough, you are never far from a bin in North East Lincolnshire.

“Street cleansing staff empty our bins in busy areas every day. If a bin is full, find another or take your rubbish home with you.”

There are no changes to fines given under Public Space Protection Orders for dog fouling, walking dogs on the beach during the summer season and other dog control offences.

The decision to increase the fines was made on Monday 21 March as part of a review of fees and charges for regulation and enforcement services.

Fees and charges are reviewed annually to ensure where appropriate that the costs of  providing services are recovered, after accounting for inflation, and that they are fair, legal, and competitive in comparison to the local and regional market.

For some activities, such as the Port Health Service, consideration of fees and charges was applied nationally and internationally to ensure the services are competitive.

Any increases in income from the proposed changes in fees and charges will help offset inflationary cost increases and help the Council achieve a balanced budget.

Other changes for environmental enforcement include:

Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 34(5) – Failure to produce written waste information (Waste Transfer Note): £400 to be paid within 28 days or £300 early payment if within 14 days (up from £300 and £200 respectively.

Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 34(2A)– Failure by householder to ensure their waste is given to an authorised waste carrier: £400 to be paid within 28 days or £300 early payment if within 14 days (up from £300 and £200 respectively.

Stray dogs

Environmental Protection (Stray Dogs) Regulations 1992, reg 2 – Stray Dogs Fee– including Statutory straying fee and stray dog administration fee: £75 if stray dog reunited from Doughty Road Depot – £75 (including statutory fee); £115 if stray dog taken to contracted kennels by officers (including statutory fee).

More details on the changes can be found at https://democracy.nelincs.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/3.-Fees-and-Charges-for-Regulation-Enforcement-2022-23.pdf