FLY-TIPPING fines are to be doubled in Warrington with offenders now facing a fine of up to £400.
Warrington Borough Council’s Cabinet has approved plans to give Environmental Crime officers the power to issue £400 fixed penalty notices to people caught fly-tipping waste – double the previous maximum fine of £200.
Issuing a fixed penalty for fly-tipping simplifies the enforcement process and makes it easier for offenders to be dealt with. It applies equally on both public and privately owned land, and there is a £100 discount applied if offenders pay the fine within 10 days of issue.
Warrington Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for environment and public protection, Cllr Judith Guthrie, (pictured) said: “Fly-tipping is a real blight on our communities and we are determined to take firm action against anyone who carries out this irresponsible and criminal act.
“Doubling the maximum fine our officers can hand out will serve as a strong deterrent to potential offenders and send out a clear message that fly-tipping will not be tolerated.
“It’s an important part of our ongoing clampdown on fly-tipping and littering in our borough. At the same time, we can still deal with fly-tipping incidents by prosecution, where appropriate, and will pursue court action against anyone who fails to pay a fixed penalty. If you are caught fly-tipping on a larger scale you run the risk of a fine of up to £50,000, or even imprisonment.”
The council’s enforcement officers are keen to receive reports identifying people who have fly-tipped in Warrington, preferably from those willing to provide a witness statement about what they have seen. Anonymous information is useful, but can limit what officers can do formally.
To report an incident of fly-tipping in Warrington, visit: www.warrington.gov.uk/report
