The Environment Minister, Dr Thérèse Coffey MP, has announced a new plan to tackle littering. Maximum fines for littering are set to almost double to £150 from April 2018, as well as new fines to be introduced for owners of vehicles from which litter is thrown.
Cleaning up the litter that is dumped in our countryside and on our roads costs the taxpayer almost £800 million per year.
From April next year, the maximum on-the-spot fine local authorities can issue for dropping litter will nearly double, form £80 to £150. The minimum fine will also increase from £50 to £65.
Furthermore, for the first time, councils will be able to impose penalties on the owners of vehicles from which litter is thrown, even if it was discarded by someone else.
The government is clear that these fines should not be abused by councils as a means of raising money, so guidance will be issued on how fines should be applied to ensure that the new powers are used in a fair and proportional way.
Commenting on the issue, Ms Ghani said: “Litter is a blight on the beautiful Wealden countryside and I know it is an issue of concern for many local people. What is more, cleaning up litter wastes taxpayers’ money which could be used for other projects. Throwing rubbish from a car is antisocial behaviour and so I am glad that these new fines will make sure the perpetrators, not the local community, will bear the cost of keeping our countryside and roads clean.
I know that there are many wonderful local volunteer groups, like Brighter Crowborough, who give up their free time in order to pick up litter and help to keep our streets, woodlands and waterways clean. I have volunteered with Brighter Crowborough in the past to help them collect litter and I was very interested to learn more about the projects they do in our community. Last month I was happy to welcome representatives from the Brighter Crowborough team to the Palace of Westminster for tea and a tour. Their hard work is commendable and I hope that they continue to collaborate with the Council in order to keep Wealden clean.”
