WARRINGTON Borough Council’s tough clampdown on litterbugs is under way – and Town Hall chiefs have issued a warning to anyone who drops cigarette butts or other litter.
Anyone caught will be issued with a fixed-penalty notices of £50 – and if it isn’t paid within 10 days, the “fine” rises to £75.
If this isn’t paid within 14 days of the original offence, offenders will be summoned to appear at the magistrates’ court where they could face fines of up to £2,500.
The campaign is running for two weeks and will involve council enforcement officers and police community support officers patrolling the town centre watching out for offenders.
Last year when the council ran a similar campaign, some 70 fixed penalty notices were issued and several people were summoned to appear before magistrates.
A council spokesperson said: “The message from the council is this: Think before you mess up our streets. Put your litter – all your litter – in the bin. And if you don’t, your carelessly dropped cigarette-butt or other litter could cost you a £50 on-the-spot fine.
“What we want is a clean and attractive town that we can all feel proud of. What we don’t want is to have to fine people for spoiling it.”
Picture: Cllr David Keane, the council’s lead member for the environment, community safety manager Dave Watson, environmental crime officer Louis Banks and a police community support officer at Market Gate.
