Cabinet to increase maximum fines issued to fly-tippers

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Fixed penalty fines issued to fly-tippers will be increased by Rotherham Council as part of crack down set to be approved by Cabinet on Monday 18 December.

People who fly-tip in Rotherham currently face a maximum fine of £400, but this is set to rise to £1,000 from 1 April 2024. Fines for littering offences are set to rise from £150 to a maximum of £500.

Council Leader Chris Read said: “We want every part of Rotherham borough to be a safe and clean place to live, work and visit. Not only is fly-tipping unsightly and a blot on the urban landscape, it can also have a negative impact on our natural environment and local wildlife.”

“These increases will mean that perpetrators in Rotherham can face the toughest penalties possible in law and should send a clear message to those who choose to selfishly break the law that we expect them to pay the full price for doing so. It’s not acceptable or fair on others to dump your trash wherever you like.”

The new rules, which would need to be approved by the Council as part of it’s budget setting process, also set out fines for residents in what are known as “duty of care offences”, which mean that residents are responsible for ensuring their waste is disposed of properly by a licensed removal service. People who use illegal unlicensed firms could be liable for fines of up to £600.

Rotherham Council can issue fixed penalty notices where people are found to have littered and, if approved by Cabinet, fixed penalty notices will rise to a maximum of:

  • £1,000 for fly-tipping offences
  • £600 for household waste duty of care offences
  • £500 for littering 

Where the Council considers that a prosecution is in the public interest, rather than issue a fixed penalty notice, cases will be referred to the courts, where offenders will face unlimited fines and prison.

Published: 13th December 2023