December 14, 2010 3.21 pm This story is over 159 months old

Fined £1,500 for back yard rubbish pile

Bin it: Lincoln residents are being urged to dispose of rubbish correctly or risk a fine.

A Lincoln landowner amassed £1,565 in court fines for not clearing his rubbish pile.

Bailfarm Ltd, who owned the 215 Monks Road property, was prosecuted for allowing a massive amount of waste gather in the garden (pictured).

After a lack of communication, the City Council were forced to clear the mess leading to not only £750 in fines with £650 in costs, but £165 to cover the cleanup.

The City of Lincoln Council are reminding residents to clear large, unsightly piles of rubbish away appropriately or risk a hefty fine.

People who let rubbish pile up could be prosecuted under the 1949 Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, and face fines of over £1,000.

In 2010, the council handed out 28 notices and made four prosecutions.

Most people clear the rubbish themselves, however those who cause the council to do it will have to cover the cost in a fine.

City of Lincoln Council’s Simon Colburn said: “We monitor private land to make sure it is kept in a decent condition and does not risk attracting pests, such as rats.

“Before this final court date, we had ongoing correspondence with Bailfarm Ltd, including an offer from the council to clean up the rubbish if they paid the costs, taking away the need to go to court.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the cooperation we needed, so carried out the clearing work and successfully prosecuted the company.

“Every landowner has a duty to keep their land clear of debris and rubbish for the benefit of the wider community.

“I hope this prosecution serves as a reminder of the seriousness of this.”

Source: City of Lincoln Council