March 22, 2022 6.00 am This story is over 24 months old

Littering fines in North East Lincolnshire to rise 50% in fresh crackdown bid

The fine is up £50 from the previous rate
An incident of littering by the Boating Lake in Cleethorpes. | Photo: North East Lincolnshire Council
By Local Democracy Reporter

Anyone caught dropping litter in North East Lincolnshire will now face a £150 fine after the council increased the amount in a bid to reduce littering levels.

North East Lincolnshire Council is introducing the fine hike from April 1, 2022 to try to deter people from littering in the area, with the decision was made during a review of fees and charges for services.

A total of 865 fixed penalty notices were issued by enforcement officers on behalf of the council in 2021 for littering and littering from a vehicle.

As well as this, a further 169 people who did not pay the fines on time were prosecuted in court, with an average bill of £390. Fines are issued as part of North East Lincolnshire Council’s contract with Doncaster Council.

There are 979 litter bins across North East Lincolnshire, and the council spends around £1.5 million per year to keep streets, parks and beaches clean.

There have been no changes to fines given under Public Space Protection Orders, for things such as dog fouling, walking dogs on the beach during summer, and other dog control offences.

These fees are reviewed annually to make sure the costs for providing services are covered, accounting for inflation, as well as being fair, legal and competitive.

Any increases in income from these proposed fee changes will help offset inflationary cost increases, as well as go towards the council achieving a balanced budget.

Councillor Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “Local people and visitors want the beaches, parks, streets and public spaces to be safe and attractive places that they can enjoy.

“Littering makes the place look a mess, it’s harmful to wildlife and the environment, and it costs a fortune for us to clean up.

“We want everyone in North East Lincolnshire to benefit from a high-quality environment, that’s why we’re increasing the penalties for littering from £100 to £150 from April 1, 2022.”

Other charges that have changed as a result of the review are Section 34 (5) and Section 34 (2A) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Section 34 (5) will see a failure to produce written waste information met with a £400 fine to be paid within 28 days, or £300 for early payments within 14 days. This is up from £300 and £200 respectively.

As for 2A, that relates to failure by householder to ensure waste is given to an authorised waste carrier, again punishable by £400 fine within 28 days or £300 if paid within 14 days, up from £300 and £200.